Saakahvili's health condition qualifies for 'at least a suspended sentence' Public Defender says
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, December 9, 2022
The Public Defender of Georgia, Nino Lomjaria assessed the health condition of the imprisoned third president, Mikheil Saakashvili; She was asked by reporters whether it is necessary to temporarily transfer the ex-president for treatment abroad, to which she responded that Saakashvili's health condition is qualified to be a subject to 'at least a suspended sentence'.
"The conclusions we rely on confirm that Mikheil Saakashvili's condition is in accordance with the article of the Criminal Procedure Code, which states that a prisoner in this condition may be subject to at least a suspended sentence.
According to Lomjaria, this recommendation is based on the opinions of experts.
"As a public defender, yesterday, I signed a Friend of the Court opinion, in which we have reviewed the practice of the court in the last 5 years regarding release and postponement of punishment. Also, we have cited experts' opinions on Mikheil Saakashvili's health condition.
The main proposition and recommendation we give to the court are that according to experts, Mikheil Saakashvili's health condition is serious, and from the position of the Public Defender, the conclusions we rely on confirm that his condition is in accordance with the article of the Criminal Procedure Code, which states that this A prisoner in the condition may be subject to at least a suspended sentence.
Therefore, in the Friend of the Court brief, we develop the position that his current situation legally and factually meets the Criminal Procedure Code's standard for at least a suspended sentence.
According to Lomjaria, their opinion is quite well-argued, and they are hoping the court will take them into account. She also added that the judge can assess Saakashvili's situation on the spot and therefore she is hopeful:
"In the Friend of the Court's opinion, we also expressed our readiness for the relevant representatives of the apparatus to appear before the court and provide information on the spot. Also, the judge can visit the prisoner and learn about the situation on the spot, make sure and assess the current situation. Therefore, I am hopeful, although it is very difficult to make a prediction," said Lomjaria.
