Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze has explained why the Special Penitentiary Service decided to release video recordings of imprisoned ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili at Viva Medi Clinic.

"When radical forces try to damage the image of the state, both outside and inside the country, to create an image of the enemy from the state and establish such a perception as if the state is a torturer, we have a legitimate goal that the public is informed correctly that no one is being tortured in this state. On the contrary, the state tries its best to ensure that human rights are thoroughly protected. That is why the decision was made to make public these video recordings, which show the condition of this person from August to the present day," Rati Bregadze told Imedi TV.

According to him, now when the government is doing its best to fulfill the 12-point conditions outlined by the European Council for granting the country the European Union membership candidate status, they [radical forces] by using Saakashvili are trying to show the public, the international community that the state is allegedly a violator of human rights.

"We really cannot give the right to anyone to do this and our answer will always be adequate," he added.

The Minister of Justice noted that "based on moral considerations, the agency did not make public many other footages in which similar episodes may be depicted."

According to him, "once and for all, these speculations must be put to an end and the public must learn the truth."

"This speculation has been going on for over a year. I want to briefly remind the public what we are dealing with: Saakashvili came to Georgia for the sole purpose - the radical opposition and he wanted to gain power through unconstitutional means.

However, it should be emphasized that as a result of the good work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service the state avoided a very difficult trouble and Saakashvili was placed in a penitentiary institution. From that moment up to date this person receives all the necessary medical services that are provided and all his rights are protected. We were accused of hiding him from the public, but the answer is simple - how can you hide it from someone, when 1500 visitors have already visited him.

Later, they [radical forces] realized that this person could not be freed either by threats, blocking roads, etc. And another way was found - they want to politicize health and free that person by artificially deterioration of his health. He began a self-harming regime when he declared a hunger strike. Instead of urging the starving person to stop his hunger strike, on the contrary, they [radical forces] urged him not to do it, because it would be political suicide for him, and they [radical forces] encouraged this process as much as possible. They [radical forces] wanted to gain a freedom for him through the deterioration of his health", Rati Bregadze told Imedi TV.