The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Georgia: incarcerated ex-president Saakchvilii stops hunger strike after 50 days

2021-11-20T08:28:09.980Z


Former Georgian president and opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili ended his 50-day hunger strike in detention on Saturday after ...


Former Georgian president and opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili ended his 50-day hunger strike in detention on Saturday after being transferred to a military hospital.

His personal doctor, Nikoloz Kipchidzé, claimed that he "

is still in critical condition and has been placed in an intensive care unit

", specifying that the opponent would resume "

eating later in the day on Saturday.

".

Read also Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili arrested on his return from exile

The former Georgian president (2004-2013) had stopped eating on October 1 to protest against his imprisonment on his return to Tbilisi after years of exile in Ukraine. On Thursday, he had passed out during a meeting with his lawyers. The Georgian authorities initially rejected the doctors' recommendations to hospitalize him in a civilian establishment, before changing your tone on Friday and transferring him overnight to a military hospital. Thousands of supporters of Mr Saakashvili, 53, took to the streets on Friday night in the capital Tbilisi to demand guarantees of adequate medical assistance for the former leader of the Caucasus country, currently considered the leader of the opposition.

Doctor Guiorgui Grigolia, who examined Mr. Saakashvili after his discomfort on Thursday, told AFP on Thursday that his "

life was in danger

" and that he should "

be transferred to a civilian clinic without delay

", citing heart problems and neurological in his patient.

On Friday, Justice Minister Rati Bregadzé accused the opposition of "

exploiting Saakashvili's health for his ridiculous political ends

".

"

Illegal imprisonment

"

"

I will never accept my illegal imprisonment

," Saakashvili said on Facebook on Friday evening, adding that he was ready to "

appear before a fair trial and accept any verdict he delivers

." In 2018, he was sentenced in absentia to six years in prison for "

abuse of power

", charges he said were fabricated and politically motivated.

Saakashvili's arrest exacerbated a political crisis following the legislative elections in 2020, narrowly won by the ruling Georgian Dream Party, and which the opposition deemed fraudulent. Pro-Western president from 2004 to 2013 and now considered the leader of the opposition, the former president returned to Georgia on October 1 after an eight-year exile. Immediately arrested, he was imprisoned under his conviction for "

abuse of power

", which he considers to be purely political. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili caused a scandal by declaring that Saakashvili "

had the right to commit suicide

" and that the government had been forced to arrest him because he had refused to give up politics.

"

As soon as I am released, I will join you - as an equal among equals - to rebuild our country

", he wrote, thanking his compatriots for their "

incredible demonstration of solidarity and humanity

”.

I believe in our victory like never before,

” he said.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-11-20

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.