European Parliament adopts “Resolution on the situation of the former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili”. According to the document, the European Parliament:

“1. Expresses grave concern about the deteriorating health of former President Mikheil Saakashvili and the inadequate response by the Georgian authorities so far; considers that the treatment of prisoners, such as former President Saakashvili, is a litmus test of the Georgian government’s commitment to European values and its declared European aspirations, including EU candidate status;

2. Reiterates its call on the Georgian authorities to release former President Mikheil Saakashvili and allow him to receive proper medical treatment abroad on humanitarian grounds and as a way of reducing political polarization; takes note of the recent statement by the President of Georgia urging all sides to resolve the situation of Mikheil Saakashvili in order to put the country’s progress with European reforms back on the center stage of politics and invites her to use her constitutional right to pardon Mikheil Saakashvili;

3. Reminds the Georgian authorities that they have responsibility to ensure the health and well-being of the former President, to provide him with adequate medical treatment and to respect his fundamental rights and personal dignity, in line with Georgia’s constitution and international commitments;

4. Calls on the European Council and the Commission to become more actively involved in securing the release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili and enabling him to receive proper medical treatment abroad;

5. Underlines the fact that the continuing failure to improve the situation of former President Mikheil Saakashvili will continue to damage Georgia’s reputation and hamper its European Union candidacy prospects; is of the opinion that Mikheil Saakashvili’s death in custody would be a blow to Georgian democracy and to Georgia’s international reputation;

6. Underlines that in the already polarised political climate in Georgia, the continued detention of Mikhail Saakashvili only deepens the rift between the government and opposition and erodes public trust in democratic institutions;

7. Emphasises that the case of Mikheil Saakashvili further highlights the importance of implementing genuine reform of the justice system;

8. Calls on the European External Action Service and the Commission to continue to systematically monitor Mikheil Saakashvili’s court hearings, both those on the charges brought against him and those on his request to be transferred abroad;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the President, Government and Parliament of Georgia”.