A publication about the state of health of Mikheil Saakashvili, the third President of Georgia, was disseminated in the social network. According to the publication, uranium was found in the ex-president’s blood.
FactCheck reached out to Mikheil Saakashvili’s lawyer, Shalva Khachapuridze, to verify this information. Mr Khachapuridze denied information that uranium had been found in Mikheil Saakashvili’s blood.
This specific news probably originated from the American toxicological conclusion. In accordance with the results of toxicological analysis, unveiled several days ago, mercury and arsenic were found in the former President’s body based on analysis of his hair and nails. As concluded by the American physician, David Smith, these substances entered Mikheil Saakashvili’s body after he had been imprisoned.
It is also mentioned in the toxicological conclusion that Mikheil Saakashvili’s intoxication is not related with medical treatment or other medical intervention. Mr Smith wrote to Mikheil Saakashvili’s American lawyer that the third President’s health complications are linked with poisoning by heavy metals. However, this analysis too does not mention uranium.
Therefore, information that uranium was found in Mikheil Saakashvili’s blood, is not true.
----------------------------------------------------
This article was produced as part of Facebook’s Fact-checking Programme. Given the rating, Facebook may impose different restrictions – click here for full information. For information on issuing a correction or to dispute a rating, please see here.