Saakashvili calls for large rally ahead of election run-offs

Detained Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has called on supporters for a large rally ahead of municipal election runoffs on October 30.

 

Saakashvili’s letter released by his United National Movement (UNM) opposition party earlier today says that the UNM’s winning of mayoral and majoritarian runoffs, in 17 of 20 constituencies (of total 64), is ‘crucial for Georgia and for the ex-president’s freedom.’ 

 

“I express my full support for UNM head Nika Melia,” Saakashvili said. 

 

He says that he has no plans to suspend the hunger strike he began on October 1 ‘because forms of protests are limited in prison.’ 

 

Saakashvili claimed that ‘many wish to go on hunger strike to express solidarity, but I am against.’ 

 

“The people who are outside the prison should be strong, healthy, to fight for the country’s future,” Saakashvili said. 

 

Saakashvili went on hunger strike the same day he was detained in Tbilisi on October 1.

 

He left Georgia in 2013, shortly after the Georgian Dream coalition defeated his United National Movement in the 2012 parliamentary race.

 

Saakashvili claims he returned after eight years in political exile to mobilize his supporters and ‘save the country from the regime of the Georgian Dream’. 

 

He was convicted for abuse of authority back in 2018 in absentia and was  sentenced to six years in prison. He has also been charged with four other cases, which are ongoing.