The Persecution of the Third President and Threat of Authoritarianism
Tbilisi. Tolerance and Diversity Institute releases a statement on the persecution of the third president.
“Against this backdrop, the incarceration of the third President Mikheil Saakashvili adds to already heightened tensions, making the situation even more explosive. It is obvious to us that Mikheil Saakashvili has been subjected to politically motivated persecution, retaliation, degrading, and inhumane treatment. It stems from the open statements and decisions made by leaders of the ruling party. The Ombudsperson of Georgia also speaks about it in a critical context.
Deliberate aggravation of the situation by the government and its refusal to transfer Saakashvili to a city hospital, the initiative of the Justice Ministry to conduct a trial of the third president of Georgia in the jail, appalling psychological pressure and alleged violence committed against Saakashvili, all this builds formidable barriers to any attempt to achieve a quiet political environment, destroys any opportunity to establish a dialogue between the government and the opposition and nudges the society towards civil confrontation. Such conditions pose a danger to the freedom, life, and health of every citizen in the country.
It is absolutely necessary today to protect the life and health of Mikheil Saakashvili, to stop politically motivated persecution against him, and to save the country from ultimately slipping into authoritarianism and burying democracy once and for all”.
Source: tdi.ge
