Ex-Pres Saakashvili calls for investigation into alleged medical abuses, proposes ex-wife to lead commission

Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili has called for the establishment of an independent commission to investigate alleged abuses in the country's healthcare sector, proposing that his wife, former first lady Sandra Roelofs, lead the body.

In a statement published on social media, Saakashvili accused the authorities of being involved in an international organ trafficking business and called on journalists and members of the public to collect and disclose evidence of alleged wrongdoing.

He said Roelofs had previously established free cancer screening centres in Georgia, helping hundreds of thousands of women access early detection services, and had supported homeless people and children with cerebral palsy. He also claimed that a centre for children with disabilities, funded by Dutch donors, had been closed by the authorities two years ago.

Saakashvili alleged that pro-government and Russian media outlets had been spreading accusations that Roelofs's charitable and medical activities were a cover for illegal organ removal and trafficking involving prisoners. He rejected those allegations and accused the authorities of promoting them to discredit his wife.

The former president went on to allege that the government was involved in a business exploiting economically vulnerable people for organ trafficking. He also criticised the development of Georgia's international surrogacy industry, claiming that the country had become a hub for the business.

Saakashvili said that, following a change of government, a commission should be established to examine alleged abuses in the medical sector, with Roelofs invited to head the investigation. He urged anyone possessing relevant evidence to contact journalists and thanked media professionals who were already investigating the matter.

Roelofs, a Dutch-born former first lady of Georgia, has been involved in charitable and public health initiatives in the country. A cervical and breast cancer screening programme was launched in 2008 with her support, alongside funding from Tbilisi City Hall and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Separately, Georgia has faced scrutiny over alleged exploitation in its reproductive medicine and surrogacy sector. In February 2025, the Interior Ministry launched a human trafficking investigation following information received from Bangkok Interpol concerning Thai women allegedly subjected to forced egg retrieval procedures after being brought to Georgia under the pretext of surrogacy. Georgian authorities confirmed that three Thai women were transferred to a shelter for trafficking victims and that four foreign nationals were questioned. The investigation was reported as ongoing at the time.

In June 2026, two founders of the reproductive medicine agency Kinderly Georgia were sentenced to 10 years in prison each for embezzling more than GEL 2 million from prospective parents and surrogate mothers. The case concerned financial exploitation and unpaid contractual obligations, rather than proven organ trafficking.