Mother of Prisoner Paata Kaikatsishvili Is On Hunger-Strike

Maka Malakmadze, Batumi

There is only one slogan on the tent of the hunger-striker Nargiz Kaikatsishvili: “I Demand Release of Arbitrarily Detained Paata Kaikatsishvili.” The number of protest dates is increasing next to the slogan; it is already the sixth day of the hunger-strike. The mother requests the release of her son who is arbitrarily detained.

There are two tents in the square in front of the building of the Kobuleti Municipality Administration. Nargiz Kaikatsishvili is on strike in one of the tents and some relatives of the family are staying in the second one. “We cannot leave her alone. If she feels bad at night we shall call the ambulance,” said the relatives. There are only medicines and a bottle of water in the tent.

Nargiz Kaikatsishvili is not going to stop hunger-strike until Paata Kaikatsishvili is released. The mother of the prisoner stated that her son is innocent and he is a political prisoner. “I request the release of my son. Paata is not guilty and he was arrested only because he is relative of Zurab Noghaideli, former Prime Minister. I was obliged to start the hunger-strike,” said Nargiz Kaikatsishvili.

The Human Rights Center visited the hunger striker when doctor of the emergency medical service was measuring her blood pressure. “We were called and arrived here. Initially the woman had low blood pressure as she has had for recent days. We suggested her to visit the doctor because she does not take the prescribed medicines. If she takes the medicines on an empty stomach it will impact on her health badly. If she were not on hunger-strike, we would have taken the patient with such health conditions to the hospital; now we cannot do anything,” said Nato Vashakmadze, doctor of the emergency medical service. Relatives of the hunger-striker stated that Nargiz Kaikatsishvili was operated on her head in the past. She also has ischemia of the heart muscle.

The only visitors of the hunger-striker are journalists and representatives of the public defender. “We visit Nargiz Kaikatsishvili almost every day. Sozar Subari, Public Defender of Georgia, is informed about her protest. We will visit the prisoner Paata Kaikatsishvili in Batumi Jail # 3 in near future. The prisoner has asthma and conditions in prison will worsen his health,” said Giorgi Charkviani, representative of the Public Defender in Adjara Autonomous Republic.

Nargiz Kaikatsishvili is not going to stop hunger strike and is going to start dry hunger-strike in several days.