Authorities propose to transfer Mikheil Saakashvili to military hospital - emergency briefing by Rati Bregadze

The government proposes to transfer Georgia's third president Mikheil Saakashvili to the Georgian Ministry of Defence's Giorgi Abramishvili military hospital.

Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze said this at a special briefing:

"Mikheil Saakashvili has so far refused to comply with the request of the Strasbourg Court to end the hunger strike, thus endangering his health and the health of others.

Unfortunately, it should be noted that destructive opponents, instead of taking the humane step of urging him to end the hunger strike, have throughout this entire period completely used his health in their narrow political interests that have nothing to do with supporting people.

In the interests of people's lives and health, and to ensure that the European Court of Human Rights judgement, which Saakashvili, at the instigation of an obstructive political force, is not implemented, we propose that he be transferred to Giorgi Abramishvili hospital. The military hospital of the Ministry of Defence. Security will be ensured by the state as much as possible. With this decision, we are not only protecting the health and life of Mikheil Saakashvili, but the other persons who are on hunger strike.

He will be transferred to the Rustavi 12th penitentiary after his treatment is complete.

"In case of any provocation by the opposition, which might interfere with the transfer of a prisoner and the work of the medical personnel, he will be transferred to the 18th facility and any violator will be punished before the law," Rati Bregadze said.