Ukrainian parliament calling Georgian President to pardon Saakashvili
Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili (Photo: Getty Images)
A draft appeal to the President of Georgia and the parliaments of EU member states regarding the need for a humanitarian act and pardon of Mikheil Saakashvili has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada, according to draft resolution No. 9491 introduced by a large group of deputies.
To preserve the life and health of a Ukrainian citizen, the Verkhovna Rada plans to:
- Call on President Salome Zourabichvili of Georgia to grant access to Mikheil Saakashvili to Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for human rights.
- Appeal to the President of Georgia to carry out a humanitarian act and pardon Saakashvili, considering his severe physical condition.
- Appeal to the parliaments of EU member states, urging them to adopt appropriate decisions and resolutions regarding the necessity for the President of Georgia to carry out a humanitarian act and pardon Saakashvili, thus reaffirming the importance of adhering to international human rights standards.
Justification of the resolution
As stated in the explanatory note to the draft, extensive coverage in domestic and international media about the conditions of Saakashvili's detention, as well as corresponding diplomatic messages, prompt the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to urgently respond to information about the critical state of health of the former President of Georgia (2004-2013), Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili.
"In light of the provisions of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of 1984, the draft appeal of the Verkhovna Rada is based on universally accepted international legal standards in the field of humanitarian law and is presented with the aim of individualized manifestation of an act of humanism and mercy towards Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili," the document states.
Saakashvili's health condition
Georgian law enforcement officers arrested former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili in October 2021. He was accused of "abuse of power and persecution of political opponents" and sentenced to six years in prison.
Since then, the former President of Georgia has declared hunger strikes on eight occasions. Against this background, his health condition has significantly deteriorated.
Recently, Saakashvili appeared at a court hearing in an online format, where he showed the extent of his extreme weight loss.
Following this, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to call the Georgian ambassador for a diplomatic conversation. Subsequently, the diplomat was sent to Tbilisi, and it was advised that consultations be held with the Georgian authorities.
