US State Department comments on Saakashvili situation
The United States is closely following events in Kyiv connected to the detention and escape of Mikheil Saakashvili, the former President of Georgia and former Governor of Odessa Oblast, said State Department spokesman Heather Nauert during a briefing, TSN reports.
"We’re closely monitoring that situation and what happened in Kyiv. We are in close contact, as you know. We have a good relationship with the Government of Ukraine. It doesn’t mean that we agree with them on absolutely everything, however. We would urge the authorities in Ukraine to de-escalate that situation. We have certainly seen reports of various activities in the streets there. We would call on all sides to avoid violence and follow the rule of law and their international commitments as well. "said Nauert.
At the same time, the US demands that Ukraine act within the law.
"If they [the Ukrainian authorities] are detaining someone, arresting someone, et cetera, it needs to be in accordance with the laws and regulations of that country as well as international human rights obligations," the US State Department spokeswoman said.
On December 5, security forces searched Mikheil Saakashvili’s apartment in Kyiv. The agents tried to take away the politician, but activists managed to break through the law enforcement officers’ defenses and free the former President.
The General Prosecutor's Office instructed the police to find and detain Saakashvili. According to Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko, the politician received the status of “escaped from custody” after fleeing the minibus and law enforcement personnel.