Imprisoned cleric Mamaladze transferred to hospital
By Tea Mariamidze
Monday, February 18
Clergyman Giorgi Mamaladze, who was sent to prison for nine years for attempted murder of the patriarch’s female secretary, has been transferred to a hospital after his health condition worsened.
The Penitentiary Department reported that Mamaladze had a hypertensive crisis and transient ischemic attack.
Marina Gelantia, First Deputy Director General of Gudushauri Clinic told reporters that the health condition of the cleric is stable now.
“Positive dynamics have been observed. He is under monitoring and examination. The treatment is adequate and professional," the doctor said.
Prior to that, lawyer of Mamaladze, Giorgi Pantsulaia accused the administration of the Gudushauri Clinic in hiding the serious health condition of the Archpriest. However, Marina Gelantia said the allegations are not true.
Moreover, Archpriest Nicholas, the Head of St. Nicholas Church of Batumi, stated that Mamaladze received Eucharist, which he has been asking for the recent weeks due to his “grave spiritual condition.”
“I was planning to arrive later for his Eucharist but his recent health condition accelerated this process,” the priest said.
Brother of the jailed cleric, Tornike Mamaladze calls on the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia to address the president with the request of pardoning Mamaladze.
“If my brother stays in prison longer, he will not survive there due to his poor health condition. He is a cleric, therefore, I addressed the patriarch and the Patriarchate with the request of mediating his pardon. I hope they make positive steps,” he added.
In early February last year, Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office announced that they had detained archpriest Giorgi Mamaladze, the deputy head of the Patriarchate’s Property Management Service and director general of the Patriarchate’s medical center at Tbilisi International Airport from where he intended to depart for Germany on February 10.
At that time the patriarch was in Germany, where he was operated on for bladder-related complications.
The Prosecutor’s Office said that Mamaladze had attempted to acquire cyanide, and the man from whom he tried to receive the substance (journalist Irakli Mamaladze, the detained archpriest’s close friend and relative) informed the police that the archpriest intended to kill a high ranking figure at the Patriarchate.
In September 2017, Tbilisi City Court sentenced Mamaladze to nine years in prison. The cleric denies charges. He claims it was Patriarch’s secretary, Shorena Tetruashivili, who asked him to purchase the cyanide to clean icons.
The cleric assures there is an influential group in the patriarchate who wanted to get rid of him.
