Georgia : Former President Saakashvili’s Prison Sentence Extended to 12.5 Years
A court in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, has sentenced former President Mikheil Saakashvili to an additional four-and-a-half years in prison, bringing his total sentence to 12-and-a-half years. This ruling, issued on Monday, follows a previous nine-year sentence handed down last week for embezzling public funds. The Tbilisi City Court found Saakashvili guilty of illegally crossing the country’s border, adding to his existing convictions.
The former president, who led Georgia from 2004 to 2013, was initially arrested in October 2021 for entering the country unlawfully ahead of the local elections. In addition to his most recent sentencing, he had been convicted in 2018 of abuse of power, receiving a six-year prison term. Last Wednesday, he was also found guilty of misusing state funds for personal luxuries, including paying for his son’s education, renting planes and luxury cars, and purchasing designer clothing.
Currently, Saakashvili is receiving medical treatment at the Vivamedi Civilian Clinic in Tbilisi, where he was transferred in May 2022 following a prolonged hunger strike. His supporters claim his prosecutions are politically motivated, while the Georgian government insists they are based on legal grounds. The case continues to spark international attention, as Saakashvili remains a polarizing figure in Georgian politics.
