Saakashvili returned to prison as Georgian health minister defends decision
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has been returned to Penitentiary Institution No. 12 in Rustavi to continue serving his sentence under the standard regime, Georgia’s Penitentiary Service announced on Thursday.
The transfer was carried out in accordance with Georgian law, which requires that such decisions be based on an assessment of the inmate’s health by the treating physician. The Penitentiary Service said Saakashvili’s condition is now “satisfactory” and no longer requires inpatient care, leading to his discharge from the Vivamedi clinic, News.Az reports, citing Georgian media.
Georgia’s Minister of Health Mikheil Sarjveladze described the decision as “completely normal” and "fully justified". He stated that Saakashvili no longer requires hospital treatment and must therefore continue serving his sentence under the same conditions as other inmates.
“A person who does not have health problems and has a sentence to serve must indeed be in a penitentiary facility, just like any other inmate. No one can reasonably argue why this decision should not have been made or carried out. In my view, this is an absolutely normal decision,” Sarjveladze said.
Saakashvili, who was sentenced in two separate abuse-of-power cases after returning to Georgia in autumn 2021, has long argued that the charges against him are politically motivated. His health and treatment have been the focus of ongoing public and international scrutiny, with opposition groups, NGOs, and several Western officials repeatedly questioning the adequacy of medical care provided in custody.
Despite numerous appeals for his release or transfer abroad for treatment, Georgian authorities have maintained that his condition has been under continuous medical supervision and that all decisions regarding his placement are based solely on clinical evaluations.
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