The US administration called on the Georgian authorities to follow the recommendations of an independent group of doctors assembled by Georgian ombudsman Nino Lomjaria to assess the health of the country's third president, head of the Executive Committee for Reforms of Ukraine Mikhail Saakashvili. This was said in a statement by U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price, published November 18 on the department's website.
"We commend the work of the Georgian public defender in providing oversight, forming an independent medical team to monitor Saakashvili's health and evaluating medical facilities at the prison hospital," the statement said. - "We urge the Georgian government to treat Saakashvili fairly and with dignity, and to heed the recommendations of the Public Defender for appropriate treatment.
The U.S. State Department "urged" Georgian authorities "to ensure that Saakashvili can attend all court hearings in ongoing criminal cases in accordance with international law."
"Saakashvili has a right to a fair trial, which includes the ability to personally attend court hearings if he makes a request to do so," Price summarized.
Likewise, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is concerned about Saakashvili's deteriorating health.
"The Ukrainian side renews its appeal to the Georgian authorities to provide Mikheil Saakashvili with adequate medical care, in particular to transfer him to a multidisciplinary medical facility for emergency care," the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported.
It is noted that Ukrainian diplomats in Georgia are waiting for approval of their request to visit Mikheil Saakashvili today, interact with lawyers and human rights activists, as well as maintaining regular contact with relatives.
"Ukraine will continue to pay special attention to respecting the rights of Ukrainian citizen Mikhail Saakashvili and his return to Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry summarized.
