Imprisoned Ex-Georgian President Saakashvili Re-Enters Politics

Mikheil Saakashvili, the imprisoned former president of Georgia, is making a return to Georgian politics.

He announced this via his social media page.  

He also commented on the decision of the Tbilisi City Court, which once again postponed his trial over the dispersal of a protest on 7 November 2007.

"Today the people would have seen that despite my grave physical condition, they could not break me spiritually, that I am more buoyant than ever. This would have destroyed all their propaganda. The "trial" has been postponed indefinitely - at least until the autumn. And this clearly shows that the Russian leadership of the country has collapsed. But we can win in the struggle - with unity and firm will," Saakashvili wrote.

The politician claims that he is a prisoner of war of the Russian President Vladimir Putin and "his local puppets".

"But even Putin shows Navalny more often than they (the Georgian authorities) - me," he added.

Saakashvili called his conviction a "disgraceful page in the history of Georgia". He believes that Georgia must return to a normal, democratic, competitive political process without violence, political prisoners, and other "Russian mines".

"I am ashamed that Georgia has actually become the main hub for grey schemes feeding the production of missiles that kill Ukrainians," Saakashvili said.

According to him, exports of fridges and washing machines from Georgia to Russia have tripled. In addition, transit is conducted through Georgia from Armenia and Turkey.

"Once, Georgia was Ukraine's main ally, but now the Russian government of Georgia has become an accomplice in the killing of Ukrainians," the politician emphasized. He added that he will do everything to change this.

In turn, the leader of the "Georgian Dream" party, Irakli Kobakhidze, today, June 19, called Saakashvili a "Munchausen", stating that he has no chance of returning to politics.

Currently, Saakashvili has been sentenced in Georgia to six years of imprisonment for pardoning convicts in the high-profile case of Sandro Girgvliani's death and in the case of beating former MP Valeri Gelashvili. These sentences were handed down in absentia while Saakashvili was outside Georgia.

Three more cases are currently being reviewed - on the embezzlement of budget funds, the dispersal of a protest action and invasion of the Imedi TV company in November 2007, and illegal border crossing upon returning to Georgia in 2021.

Recall that Mikheil Saakashvili was arrested in October 2021. He was accused of misappropriating state funds for personal needs. The politician himself denies all charges.

In custody, his health began to deteriorate, and in May 2022, Saakashvili was transferred to a hospital.

In November 2022, the politician's lawyer reported that arsenic had been found in his client's body, and doctors disclosed that metals were detected in his blood, indicating that Saakashvili was likely poisoned. The politician himself stated that he had been poisoned by agents of Russian special services.

On 6th February, a court in Tbilisi refused to release the ex-president from detention due to his health condition.

In March, he revealed that he had lost 60 kilograms in weight, and described his condition as "close to death".

A Polish medical team gained access to Mikheil Saakashvili, who was transferred from a Georgian prison to a hospital.

Georgia's President Salome Zourabichvili proposed to release the former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili from prison with an electronic tag.