American toxicologist: ex-pres. Saakashvili’s condition “serious” due to alleged poisoning

David Smith, an American toxicologist, told Tbilisi City Court on Thursday the condition of imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili was “serious” due to alleged poisoning and he required “immediate” interventions and detoxification.

“I have reviewed a large number of medical records, laboratory test results, hair, nail and blood samples, as well as extensive medical records and a 170-page report. In my opinion, he was poisoned with various metals, mercury, arsenic and barium, among them”, he said. 

The medical professional said those types of heavy metals were excreted from the body after some time and in the process they damaged almost all organs. 

“Saakashvili has peripheral neuropathy, which is a damage to the nerves outside the brain, and there is muscle wasting. It also has lesions in the digestive system, leading to gastritis, which causes persistent diarrhea and consequent cachexia and severe weight loss. Heavy metal poisoning affects virtually every organ in the human body, and his medical condition is therefore serious,” Smith said.

He noted without necessary medical intervention, there was a “danger of death or irreversible damage to health, in particular, disability”. 

A trial hearing is being held in the court now over the release of Saakashvili on medical grounds or the postponement of the rest of his sentence on medical grounds.