Saakashvili resumes communication with doctors, willing to accept medical assistance - lawyer

TBILISI. Oct 28 (Interfax) - Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is being held in a prison in Rustavi, has abandoned extreme hunger strike measures and agreed to cooperate with doctors, lawyer Dimitri Sadzaglishvili told reporters on Thursday.

"Saakashvili made the decision to cooperate with doctors and accept medical care after the prison authorities left a gap in the visitors' room through which he exchanges written messages with his lawyers. According to Georgian legislation, prisoners have a right to confidential communication with their lawyers," Sadzaglishvili said.

The lawyer added that Saakashvili apologized to the physicians involved in consultations, with whom he refused to communicate a few hours ago in protest against the actions of the prison authorities on Thursday morning, when the window in the visitors' room between the prisoner and visitors was completely glazed over.

Lawyers have previously publicized notes they receive from Saakashvili through a gap in the window of the visitors' room.

Saakashvili, former Georgian president and currently a citizen of Ukraine, secretly arrived in Georgia from Ukraine on September 29. He was detained in Tbilisi on October 1 and is currently being held in a Rustavi prison.

Georgia earlier declared Saakashvili wanted as a person convicted in absentia in several criminal cases and treated as a suspect in some others. The Georgian authorities warned repeatedly that he would be detained immediately after he crossed the border. Saakashvili has described his detention as unlawful and the charges brought against him as falsified. He has declared a hunger strike.