The life of Mikheil Saakashvili, 54, is in danger; an attempt was made to poison him, San Francisco toxicologist David Smith said in a November 28 report. The five-page document said: “Tests have shown the presence of heavy metals” in the body of the former president, including arsenic and mercury.

“The presence of these toxic agents in hair and nail samples leads to the conclusion that these agents were introduced after Saakashvili’s imprisonment,” said the report quoted by the French daily. David Smith has warned that “there is a risk of death” without proper treatment, “which seems unavailable” in prison.

In a handwritten letter to “Le Monde” Mikheil Saakashvili wrote that he wanted to inform the French public and President Emmanuel Macron of his condition, stressing that “all his life he fought for freedom and reforms in Georgia and Ukraine and against Russian imperialist policies”. .

“Putin considers me one of his main enemies. He has publicly promised to kill me. Now I am imprisoned as his private prisoner,” he said. The former president also spoke about the findings of international medical experts and the risk of his deathif he remains in prison. “I need the reaction of the world,” he wrote. “I am dying and I have little time! I am counting on President Macron and all human rights defenders in France,” he added.

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MPs call for support for Mikheil Saakashvili

On Tuesday, MEPs from various factions outside the EP plenary hall in Strasbourg posed with a picture of the former Georgian president, calling for support. Anna Fotyga, MEP (PiS) she said the former president had been in prison for 14 months, held by the Georgian government.

“His condition is really worrying.” The experts say it, the independent institutions say it, the doctors say it, the family says it. We have seen pictures of Saakashvili. I met him just before he left for Tbilisi here in Strasbourg. Judging by the photos, this is a completely different person. He is not receiving proper treatment. We are working to release him on humanitarian grounds and allow his treatment abroad, she said.

She added that she had watched the situation in Georgia for many years and knew what the country looked like when Mikheil Saakashvili took power, and how it is now. – I want Georgia to remain in the family of free and democratic countries. In the meantime, there are a lot of things that worry me,” she said.

“The Man Who Gave Georgia an Identity”

A conference dedicated to the former Georgian president was also held in Strasbourg, organized by Anna Fotyga and MEP Miriam Lexmann (EPP), with the participation of the family of Mikheil Saakashvili. They came to the EP son of President Eduard and American lawyer Massimo D’Angelo.

Eduard Saakashvili argued that luckily he could see his father from time to time. “When I see him, whether in jail or in hospital, it’s satisfying. Every time I see him, I see him falling more and more, getting weaker, sicker and more disabled. A person who was energetic, ambitious, charismatic and restless seems to be slowly falling into oblivion. This is what we as a family are seeing with our own eyes, and very disturbing medical reports paint a very bad picture for us. It’s getting worse and worse, he said.

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He added that he did not consider the situation hopeless. – Because when we come to Brussels or Strasbourg, we see strong and growing support from across the political spectrum. (…) A real understanding that we cannot let my father die in prison or have something terrible happen to his health, and that is very uplifting and helps us to be strong. The solution to the problem of my father’s poor health and the fact that his life is in danger is quite simple. Legally, the Georgian government has a real chance to do the right thing and allow him to seek treatment abroad, he added.

In turn, the former president’s lawyer, Massimo D’Angelo, described the situation as tragic. We know that 75% of Georgians are pro-European, they want to be part of the European Union, and this is a very important fact and, of course, President Saakashvili’s health is of great importance. We are talking about a man who gave the country an identity, who came and made incredible changes.

The case of Mikheil Saakashvili

The former president was jailed on October 1, 2021 after returning to Georgia after eight years in exile. According to the entourage of the former president, Mikheil Saakashvili, who hasn’t appeared in public for seven months, has lost more than 40kg in a year, including 25kg in the last three months alone.

Hearing in the court of Tbilisi against Mikheil Saakashvili is due to take place on December 14. Demonstrations by supporters of the former president have been taking place there for several weeks, protesting against the attempted poisoning. The Georgian opposition leader was accused of “abuse of power” by the new Georgian authorities, and in 2018 he was sentenced in absentia to six years in prison. At this time, he remained in Ukraine, where he held official positions and obtained citizenship of this country.

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ng//PAP