The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine appeals to the President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili and the parliaments of the European Union member states regarding the necessity of pardoning the citizen of Ukraine Mikheil Saakashvili. 285 of the 332 deputies present at today's session supported the relevant resolution.

According to the resolution, in order to preserve the life and health of the citizen of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine:

  • Urges Salome Zourabichvili to allow Dmytro Lubinets, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, access to Mikheil Saakashvili;
  • Appeals to Salome Zourabichvili to carry out a humanitarian act and pardon Mikheil Saakashvili considering his severe physical condition;
  • Appeals to the parliaments of the member states of the European Union to adopt relevant decisions and resolutions regarding the necessity of pardoning Mikheil Saakashvili by President Salome Zourabichvili, thereby confirming the importance of adhering to international human rights standards.

On July 3, after the appearance of Mikheil Saakashvili at the Tbilisi City Court session, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that Russia is killing a Ukrainian citizen at the hands of the Georgian government. He called on official Tbilisi to “stop this harassment and agree to Saakashvili's return to Ukraine.” In order to hold consultations on this issue, Zelensky ordered the Georgian ambassador to Ukraine to return to Tbilisi. The government of Georgia rules out consultations.

The third president of Georgia, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1, 2021, has been in the Vivamed clinic, a contractor of the special penitentiary service, for more than a year due to his health condition. In April of this year, he applied to the European Court of Human Rights for the use of a temporary measure, but he was refused to be transferred to Poland for treatment.

Mikheil Saakashvili is found guilty and has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for the cases of pardoning the employees of the Constitutional Security Department convicted for the beating of Member of Parliament Valery Gelashvili and the murder of Sandro Girgvliani. He is also accused of illegal crossing of the border, raiding of Imedi TV November 7 protest rally, illegal appropriation of Patarkatsishvili’s property, and embezzlement of 9,024,367 GEL belonging to the Special State Protection Service. The third president does not admit guilt, says that he is politically persecuted, and is a personal prisoner of Putin.

Georgian News
Georgian News
is an independent socio-political online edition. The website is operated by the Information Resources Network (IRN).