Ombudsman: The Ministry of Justice / Penitentiary Service should ensure the full protection of Mikheil Saakashvili's health, while the multifunctional council should make their work more systematic and effective for this purpose
The Public Defender responds to the various positions expressed around the multifunctional council created by the Ministry of Justice and believes that the Ministry of Justice / Special Penitentiary Service should ensure the full protection of Mikheil Saakashvili's health, while the multifunctional council should make their work more systematic and effective for this purpose.
According to a statement issued by the Public Defender, a protocol on the activities of the council should be developed, which determines the frequency of visits to the patient of the council, issues of initiating the council meeting (including with taking into account the positions of the patient, personal physician, lawyers), the exact mandate of the council, their legal status and other.
According to the statement, it is also necessary to revise the composition of the council and expand the circle of specialists, taking into account the created needs.
"The Public Defender's Office has been closely monitoring the work of the council so far, fully monitoring their conclusions and recommendations. During the inspection of the N18 medical institution, the Office assessed the degree of compliance of the institution with the needs listed in the conclusions of the council.
So far, no reason has been identified that would give the Public Defender's Office grounds for doubting the principled, competent, highly professional activities of the multifunctional council.
Thus, the Public Defender believes that the current multifunctional group should not cease to function, but continue its activities in a more multidisciplinary and intensive manner. The Ministry should ensure that regular visits and effective activities of the council do not encounter bureaucratic obstacles.
However, the Public Defender notes that the Public Defender's Office cannot replace the responsibility of the state in the context of caring for the health of the prisoner and cannot determine the tactics of treating the patient. The Public Defender monitors the protection of rights by the state and continues to work only within the mandate in the future.
The Ministry of Justice / Penitentiary Service should continue to take full care of the prisoner's health, taking into account the recommendations of the multifunctional council created by them. At the same time, the Public Defender is ready, if necessary, in parallel with the work of the multifunctional council, to use the supervisory authority granted to him by law, to invite specialists / experts in the field within the mandate to receive relevant medical consultations, to prepare expert opinions and recommendations on the patient's health condition", - the ombudsman said in a statement.
