A Georgian court has sentenced former president Mikheil Saakashvili to over 12 years in total for alleged embezzlement and abuse of power, leading to accusations of political motivation behind his imprisonment and calls for his release from various international organizations.
Former Georgian President Saakashvili Receives Extended Prison Sentence Amid Political Tensions
Former Georgian President Saakashvili Receives Extended Prison Sentence Amid Political Tensions
The former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, has been sentenced to an additional four-and-a-half years in prison, raising concerns of political repression and human rights violations.
A court in Georgia has handed down an additional prison sentence to the former president, Mikheil Saakashvili. On Monday, Saakashvili was sentenced to four-and-a-half years for illegally crossing the border upon his return from exile in 2021, as confirmed by his lawyer. This new sentence compounds his ongoing terms for embezzlement and abuse of power, totaling over 12 years when all sentences are considered.
Saakashvili has consistently denied any wrongdoing, labeling his latest verdict as “illegal” and “unjust.” Human rights organizations assert that his incarceration is politically motivated, particularly as he stands in opposition to the ruling Georgian Dream party, which advocates for stronger ties with Russia—contrasting sharply with Saakashvili’s previous approach of building closer connections with Western nations.
In a video statement recorded from the hospital where he is currently being held, Saakashvili declared, “No matter what, I will fight to the end.” His recent sentence follows another last week, where he was handed a nine-year term for embezzlement alongside his previous sentences. Saakashvili was tried in absentia in 2018 and sentenced in two separate trials.
His arrest in 2021 occurred after he covertly returned to Georgia just before local elections, prompting calls for mass anti-government protests. Originally serving two terms as president from 2004 to 2013, Saakashvili had been residing in Ukraine since his departure; he was granted Ukrainian citizenship in 2015, which he renounced while serving as governor of Odesa.
In his recent video address, Saakashvili claimed, “This [sentence] is basically sending a message... to President Zelensky, to scare him by demonstrating the consequences of resisting.” He emphasized his unresolved loyalty to Georgia despite his circumstances.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had appointed Saakashvili to facilitate reforms, has called for his transfer to Ukraine and accused Russia of effectively “killing” him through the actions of Georgian authorities. The European Union has consistently urged for Saakashvili’s immediate release from prison, highlighting grave concerns about his declining health.
The Council of Europe has described Saakashvili as a “political prisoner,” while Amnesty International criticized his treatment as an instance of “apparent political revenge.”
