We will be attentive to the upholding of your fundamental rights and the right of a fair trial - Letter from the Council of Europe and the European Commission to Mikheil Saakashvili

Heads of European bodies, the Council of Europe and the European Commission send a letter to Georgia's third president at the Rustavi 12th Penitentiary Institution.

They emphasize the need for adequate medical care for Mikheil Saakashvili and compliance with the norms of the European Convention on Human Rights. Senior EU officials wish Mikheil Saakashvili a speedy recovery.

The letter stresses that the EU is paying special attention to the legal situation of Mikheil Saakashvili.

We offer you the letter unchanged:

Dear Mr Saakashvili, thank you for your letter of 14 October 2021.

We welcome your recent, concerted transfer to the Gori military hospital and your subsequent
decision to end your hunger strike, and wish you a successful recovery. The Georgian authorities
have a legal responsibility to ensure the health of all prisoners and therefore to provide adequate
medical treatment. We also urge Georgia to comply with its responsibilities under the European
Convention on Human Rights, and to adhere fully to the interim measures issued by the Court.

Looking forward, it is very important that further de-escalation takes place and the government and
the opposition must contribute to this together. We will be particularly attentive to the upholding of
your fundamental rights as well as to see due legal process being applied.

Beyond this, an independent, transparent and accountable judiciary, adhering to the highest
standards of ethics and integrity, and addressing the shortcomings witnessed during the last
elections, are not only legitimate expectations from Georgian citizens, but are also crucial to the EUGeorgia relationship and in line with commitments taken within our Association Agreement.

Timely adoption and implementation of inclusive reforms remain the best chance of tangible progressin further building Georgia’s democracy and resilience, and ending the damaging polarisation
currently affecting the Georgian political system.