Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, believes that the Georgian government first poisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili and is now little by little killing him. At the joint press conference with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, Zelensky showed photos depicting Mikheil Saakashvili’s current condition to journalists.
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„He was once the President of Georgia. Mikheil Saakashvili. I would like you to see what he looks like. Georgia, its leadership, who are they for today? Are they neutral or are they for Russia? Since Russia treats its politicians in the same way as today the Georgian leadership treats not its politicians anymore, but the citizens of Ukraine. And so once again: are they neutral? Or are they for Russia? Or are they just against Ukraine, etc.?
I would like the press to see what is happening: public torture of a citizen of Ukraine. I am not discussing the issue of why the former President of Georgia was arrested, and what consequences Georgia’s politics and democracy have. This is their internal issue. I'm talking about the arrest of a citizen of Ukraine, Mikheil Saakashvili, who is publicly tortured daily. And I think their goal is to kill him,” - Zelensky said.
At another trial held on February 1, where Mikheil Saakashvili’s sentence postponement or release from the sentence was discussed, Saakashvili participated remotely from the Vivamedi clinic and stated that his health condition has deteriorated sharply. To prove that he lifted his shirt to show. “I gave all my knowledge to Georgia... Now I gave and sacrificed my health to Georgia and the only thing I ask for is to be given adequate treatment,” said Mikheil Saakashvili. He addressed the Ukrainians too and said that he is in “Matrosov prison” now and that he was tortured and poisoned.
According to the former president, if he does not survive till the victory of Ukraine, “which is very close”, he wants to bury his heart in Kyiv, because it belongs to Ukraine.
During the trial, neurologist Tengiz Tsuladze, a member of the council created by the public defender, said that Mikheil Saakashvili has the fourth level of cachexia, which is typical for cancer patients. According to the doctor, this “is likely to drastically affect his life expectancy”.
Mikheil Saakashvili, who is a citizen of Ukraine, was arrested on October 1, 2021, the day before the local self-government elections in Tbilisi. He was found guilty and has been sentenced to six years in prison for the cases of pardoning the employees of the state security service of Georgia convicted for the murder of Sandro Girgvliani and the beating of Member of Parliament Valeri Gelashvili. Saakashvili is also accused in the cases of the Imedi television company, raiding the protest action of November 7, illegally taking possession of Patarkatsishvili's property, and embezzling 9 024 367 GEL belonging to the Special State Protection Service of Georgia. The third president pleads not guilty and says that the processes are politically motivated.
Since May 2022, Mikheil Saakashvili has been receiving treatment at Vivamedi clinic, a contractor of the Special Penitentiary Service.
