UNM declares saving Saakashvili's life as its priority

On the third day of the hunger strike of Mikheil (Mikhail) Saakashvili, a Georgian former president, the oppositional "United National Movement" (UNM) Party announced daily protests in order to achieve Saakashvili's departure for medical treatment abroad. In his turn, an activist of the NGO "Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights" has treated Saakashvili's new hunger strike as a promotion action.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that his personal doctor is not allowed to visit Saakashvili, who had held a long hunger strike after returning to Georgia. This violates the detainee's rights, his advocate is sure. On February 21, Saakashvili went on another endless hunger strike demanding to ensure his proper medical treatment.

Saakashvili should be sent abroad for treatment, said Nika Meliya, the UNM leader. He announced daily actions in support of Mikhail Saakashvili, which will be held in different formats in different cities of Georgia.

Beka Basilaya, Saakashvili's advocate, asserts that his client's medical treatment is impossible in the conditions of the country's penitentiary system.

In his turn, Gela Nikolaishvili, a lawyer and an activist of the above NGO "Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights", sees no objective reasons for Saakashvili's new hunger strike. According to his version, personal doctors are allowed to visit prisoners, but not on a permanent basis; and the prison has its own doctors.

Mr Nikolaishvili has suggested that Saakashvili has gone on a new hunger strike in order to create noise around himself and the UNM Party.