Public Defender of Ukraine: The video shows Mikheil Saakashvili being tortured and ill-treated

Recently, a video was released confirming the use of physical force against Mikheil Saakashvili, a citizen of Ukraine and chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Council for Reforms under the President of Ukraine, during his hospitalization, reads the statement by the Public Defender of Ukraine, Lyudmila Denisova.

"The video shows Mikheil Saakashvili being tortured and ill-treated, which is a gross violation of Article 3 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 1 of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment have been violated by the misconduct of the Special Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia.

I urge the UN Committee against Torture and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to respond to the torture of Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili," reads the statement.

The ombudsman of Ukraine appeals to her Georgian counterpart to investigate the fact of violation of Mikheil Saakashvili's rights by the staff of the Special Penitentiary Service.

The ombudsman also calls on the Georgian authorities to transfer the ex-president to a proper medical institution.

"I demand that the Georgian authorities immediately transfer Mikheil Saakashvili to a hospital that meets the standards of medical care, taking into account all the recommendations of the medical council," reads the statement.

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