Five UNM members in Zugdidi City Assembly go on hunger strike for Saakashvili

Five members in Zugdidi City Assembly of western Georgia, from the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party, have gone on hunger strike earlier today in solidarity with former president Mikheil Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 and has been on hunger strike for 46 days. 

Ten UNM MPs and Droa opposition party leader Elene Khoshtaria are also on hunger strike, demanding the transfer of Saakashvili to a civil clinic from Gldani prison hospital. 

Saakashvili said last week that he is ready to stop the hunger strike if he is brought to a civil clinic. 

However, the Georgian Dream government officials claim that the UNM and Saakashvili have plans to cause unrest if the former president is brought to a civil clinic. 

The third president was convicted in Georgia back in 2018 for abuse of power in absentia and was sentenced to six years in prison.  

Saakashvili also faces five charges related to embezzlement, illegal takeover of property and others.