Prosecutor’s Office refused to grant ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili a victim’s status “due to lack of grounds”, while allowing lawyers to have access to the criminal case materials. The information is spread by the Prosecutor’s Office.

“On November 9, 2021, the Investigative Department of the State Inspector’s Service launched an investigation into allegations of ill-treatment of prisoner Mikheil Saakashvili at the N18 Medical Penitentiary, as well as at the G18 Military Hospital – in particular, on the facts of possible physical and verbal abuse, intentional verbal aggression and seizure of a wristwatch during his transfer from the military hospital to the N18 medical facility.

On December 9 and 30, 2021, the State Inspector’s Investigative Service informed Mikheil Saakashvili’s lawyers twice in detail about the ongoing investigation and the investigative and procedural actions carried out.

The criminal case in the proceedings of the State Inspector’s Service requires a complex and thorough investigation, and for this purpose, on November 29, 2021, the prosecutor issued an instruction on the case to conduct investigative and procedural actions, some of which have not yet been performed by the State Inspector’s Service.

A commission forensic medical examination of the case is scheduled to determine to what extent Mikheil Saakashvili was provided with adequate medical care during his detention; Psychological examination is scheduled; Habitoscopic, videooscopic and information-technological examinations are assigned to the audio-video recordings requested in the case; There is also trasological examination, the results of which the investigation has not received at this stage, and the results of which are very important in determining the circumstances.

Therefore, before the written instructions of the prosecutor, including the conclusion of the relevant expertise and the verification of certain circumstances relevant to the investigation, the relevant investigative and procedural actions, the prosecution is deprived of the opportunity to make any concluding decision in the case, including in terms of recognizing a person as a victim. In view of the above, the request of the defence to recognize Mikheil Saakashvili as a victim was not approved due to a lack of grounds.

At the same time, the Prosecutor’s Office expresses its readiness to ensure that Mikheil Saakashvili’s lawyers are given full access to the criminal case materials,” reads the statement.