Patriarch requests Saakashvili once again stop hunger strike
In his previous letter on October 7, Patriarch Ilia II asked Saakashvili to suspend his hunger strike ‘which is not a Christian way of behaviour.’ Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
Georgian Patriarch Ilia II, who is the most trusted figure in the country according to public polls, has for the second time requested the country’s former president, Mikheil Saakashvili, to suspend his hunger strike.
Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after eight years in political exile, has been on hunger strike for 35 days in Rustavi Prison No.12, stating that he is a ‘political prisoner.’
The Patriarchate’s spokesperson, Mikael Botkoveli, came to the prison earlier today and gave the patriarch’s letter to Saakashvili.
Ilia II asks and advises Saakashvili to stop the hunger strike in the letter,” Botkoveli told journalists at the prison.
Saakashvili, who is a citizen of Ukraine and chairs the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, says he returned to Georgia to help his UNM party remove Georgian Dream from power.
According to @SaakashviliM, the Georgian people won the elections in almost all cities, so the "Ivanishvili gang" is afraid of their large numbers and them taking to the streets.
— Mtavari TV (@MtavariChannel) November 2, 2021
More: https://t.co/4KWtQG1d68 pic.twitter.com/ghj103ruPJ
He has been on hunger strike since his arrest in Tbilisi on October 1.
The Ministry of Justice has offered Saakashvili medical care in a prison clinic, which he declined.
The government officials say that Saakashvili is ‘staging a show’ with his hunger strike, and has plans to cause unrest if he is brought to a civil clinic.
The former president was convicted in Georgia in absentia back in 2018 for abuse of authority and was sentenced to six years in prison.
He has also been charged with several other offences.
Several opposition parties and members have criticized Georgian president Salome Zurabishvili for a recent statement that she will never pardon ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.Zurabishvili said yesterday that Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after eight years in political exile, ‘is neither a political prisoner, nor a victim of injustice,’ noting that the former president returned to Georgia to incite unrest.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been on hunger strike since his arrest in Tbilisi on October 1, says that he is ready to take medicines to ‘maintain the strength to think and act’, but vows that he will not suspend his hunger strike.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says that the country’s recently detained ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili is staging a show with his hunger strike to spark tension ahead of municipal election runoffs on October 30.
Georgian Patriarch Ilia II has requested the country’s third president Mikheil Saakashvili, who is currently serving a prison term in Rustavi Prison No.12, to suspend hunger strike ‘which is not a Christian way of behaviour.’
Ex-president of Georgia Mikheil Saalashvili, who has been on hunger strike for 35 days in Rustavi Prison No.12, refuses to meet with a medical council claiming it is politicized and demands an alternative commission.
Minister of Justice of Georgia, Rati Bregadze, has alleged the imprisoned former president of the country, Mikheil Saakashvili, eats diet outside "medical designation" in contradiction to his hunger strike, and in contrast to comments by the private physician of the politician.
Catholics Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II has turned 89 today. He has been leading the spiritual life of the Orthodox Georgian Church for 44 years.