Arrested opposition leader: prison authorities must take responsibility for medical transfer

Opposition politician Elene Khoshtaria, one of the leaders of Coalition for Change, has said that she will not formally request a transfer to a civilian clinic, arguing that the responsibility for such a decision lies with the penitentiary healthcare system.

In a letter released from prison on Friday, Khoshtaria thanked supporters, lawyers, civil society representatives, and Public Defender Levan Ioseliani for their attention to her case.

Addressing her health situation, Khoshtaria criticized the prison system and insisted that officials should act on their own responsibility rather than waiting for a formal request from her.

“If they make my transfer to a clinic dependent on my request or demand, they should forget it. Under no circumstances will you receive such a request from me,” Khoshtaria wrote.

“After six months, I led you to the diagnosis. Now make a decision and take responsibility.”

She specifically stated that responsibility for the process rests with the healthcare department of Georgia's penitentiary service.

Khoshtaria also argued that concerns regarding access to medical care extend beyond her own case, referring to the situations of other inmates, including Mzia Amaglobeli, Andrei Zinovkin, and Nino Datashvili.