Ex-president Saakashvili addresses supporters from prison window

Georgian former president Mikheil Saakashvili, who was detained in Tbilisi on October 1 after eight years in political exile, has addressed his supporters from his prison cell window in Rustavi detention facility No.12. 

 

He appeared at a window for several seconds and told his supporters that ‘you are great people.’ 

 

Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze stated earlier today that despite being on hunger strike for 21 days, Saakashvili’s health condition is satisfactory.

 

However, Saakashvili’s doctor and his United National Movement (UNM) party members say that there is a need for the ex-president’s hospitalisation. 

 

The ex-president was officially charged with illegally crossing the border from Ukraine to Georgia on September 28 yesterday. 

 

Saakashvili, who has been on hunger strike since his detention, says that he returned to Georgia to help his United National Movement party replace the ‘pro-Russian Georgian Dream government.’ 

 

He was convicted in Georgia in absentia for abuse of authority back in 2018 and was sentenced to six years in prison. 

 

Saakashvili has been charged with four other offences as of today.