Former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has postponed until the end of January the execution of the ultimatum issued by the penitentiary service to allow independent doctors to visit him in Rustavi prison and to allow confidential communication with his lawyers.

"Mikhail Saakashvili intends to turn to extreme forms of protest if his demands are not met by the end of January, including a hunger strike. The penitentiary service has not allowed independent doctors, including his personal doctor Nikoloz Kipshidze, to visit Saakashvili for medical examination since December 30. Earlier lawyers could confidentially communicate with the ex-president by exchanging notes through a barrier in the visiting room, but now the administration of Rustavi prison has banned this possibility," lawyer Shota Tutberidze told reporters on Thursday.

A few days ago Saakashvili issued an ultimatum to the penitentiary service with the same demands and threatened to start a hunger strike from January 6, but his visiting associates convinced him not to resort to another hunger strike, as it could be fatal for him.

One of the leaders of the opposition United National Movement party Roman Gotsiridze told journalists that Saakashvili is currently working in a prison cell on a new economic development program for Georgia.