UNM gathers in front of parliament, announces rallies on Saakashvili's trial
UNM head Nika Melia announced that rallies will be held in several locations of Tbilisi from tomorrow. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The opposition United National Movement (UNM) members and supporters have gathered in front of the parliament building this evening in Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi, demanding former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s release from prison.
The UNM chairman Nika Melia announced that rallies will be held in several locations of Tbilisi from tomorrow.
Starting from 11 a.m. tomorrow morning, rallies will be held simultaneously in three places: in front of the Justice Ministry, in front of the so-called Module building, and in front of the Heath Ministry, Melia said.
Melia later added Tbilisi City Court, where Saakashvili’s trial is scheduled tomorrow afternoon, as the fourth rally location.
Currently a citizen of Ukraine, Saakashvili was convicted by Georgian court in absentia in 2018 on two counts of abuse of power and was sentenced to six years in prison.
The former president was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after a clandestine return from eight years in political exile.
Saakashvili is now facing five additional charges, including illegal seizure of property, embezzlement, illegal rally dispersal, and illegal border crossing. He denies all charges, considers himself a ‘political prisoner’ and claims to be on a hunger strike.
The former president demanded to be taken to a civil clinic for treatment. However, he was transferred to Gldani Prison No.18 hospital last evening.
In a letter released from prison hospital, Saakashvili claimed that the purpose of his transfer to prison hospital was his physical destruction under Russian president Vladimir Putin’s order.
Civil organisations have called on the government of Georgia to transfer the former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili from Gldani Prison No.18 hospital to an ‘alternative medical institution. In a joint statement, seven organisations maintain that Saakashvili’s transfer to a prison hospital posed the risk of ‘escalating the political situation’ in the country, and the ‘full responsibility’ for the events rests with the government.
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party is holding a rally in front of the building of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia in Tbilisi, following yesterday's transfer of former president Mikheil Saakashvili to Gldani prison hospital ‘against his will.’ The party is demanding the transportation of Saakashvili to a civil clinic, his release from prison and the annulment of recent municipal election results.
Ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili who was transferred to Gldani prison hospital today, has released the letter from the facility stating that the purpose of the recent activities is his physical destruction under Russian president Vladimir Putin’s order.
Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, who reportedly has been on hunger strike for 39 days, has been transferred to Gldani No.18 prison hospital ‘to prevent deterioration in his health due to increased risks,' the Georgian Special Penitentiary Service reports.
The US government has called on Georgian authorities to take steps to ensure the country’s former president, Mikheil Saakashvili’s, urgent psychological and physical needs, US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price stated yesterday. The Department of State also encouraged the Georgian government to treat Saakashvili ‘fairly and with dignity,’ noting that they are ‘closely observing’ the situation around the former president.
Several opposition activists were detained by police at the rallies of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party earlier today, at the buildings of the Ministry of Health of Georgia and the State Security Service.
Georgian law enforcement arrested 46 individuals at rallies organized by the United National Movement (UNM) in Tbilisi earlier today, including at the buildings of the State Security Service and the Ministry of Health. The Georgian Interior Ministry says the UNM activists violated the law of assembly and demonstration, attempting to block state buildings and disobeying police officers.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili has not been allowed by the Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia to attend a trial in Tbilisi City Court today which is discussing a case involving him.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has responded to the arrests of 46 citizens on today's United National Movement (UNM) rallies, saying that some families have not been informed about the whereabouts of the arrested. The Ombudswoman said that her representatives have visited 23 arrested citizens during the day. However, some detainees still cannot be located by their lawyers and families.