Famous Swiss doctor, Senior Professor at Lund University, member of the Swiss Academy of Sciences, and foreign member of The Georgian National Academy of Sciences Olle Lindvall has released a statement on Georgian doctor Gaprindashvili's detention.
"Absolutely shocking and totally infuriating was the news on my dear colleague orthopaedic surgeon and the President of Georgian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Vazha Gaprindashvili's detention. He is an outstanding doctor known for his professionalism and commitment to his patients. His illegal detention as well as two month imprisonment over "illegal crossing of the border" is absolutely unacceptable, which is why I demand his immediate release," reads Lindvall's statement.
Ramon Cugat, the doctor of Barcelona football club, who was backed by his colleagues, also released a statement in support of Vazha Gaprindashvili.
"We urge the authorities to consider the matter fairly and release our colleague as soon as possible so that the suffering of his family and friends could end.
If there is anything we can do to speed up this process peacefully, please let us know.
He has always been dedicated to his patients”, Cugat's letter reads.
Renowned Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili has been held in custody by the the de facto government of Tskhinvali region sonce Nov 9. He was first placed in pre-trial cell in Akhalgori Municipality. Along with Vazha Gaprindashvili, three Georgian citizens were also detained. All the three of them were fined and exiled from the territory, whereas the doctor was again taken to the cell. A criminal investigation against him is still in progress.
The de facto government has accused the Georgians of illegally crossing the so-called border. The Georgian doctor has denied the accusation by stating that he is in the territory of Georgia.
The detained doctor's family surmises that he went to Akhalgori to provide a local with medical assistance, since she was unable to cross the border and get the required treatment in Tbilisi.
The hotline has operated after Gaprindashvili's detention and The European Union Monitoring Mission has been notified of the incident.
According to Georgian PM, the government is applying all the international tools at hand to free the doctor.
State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili declared that she has obtained information by a number of sources saying that Vazha Gaprindashvili will soon be released from custody.
Demonstrations in support of Gaprindashvili have been held in the city and regions. His colleagues and adherents staged a White Lab Coats Demonstration outside their clinics.
The U.S. Embassy in Georgia released a statement in which it "calls for the immediate release" of Dr. Gaprindashvili.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia also condemned detention of the Georgian doctor and demands his immediate release from custody.
