Lawyers: Saakashvili may not be allowed to attend own trial hearing due to opposition’s rally
The Georgian opposition has plans to hold a rally in front of Tbilisi City Court on Monday during a trial hearing concerning former president Mikheil Saakashvili. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
Lawyers of former president Mikheil Saakashvili have called on the government to ensure Saakashvili’s presence at a trial hearing in a case concerning him on Monday despite the opposition’s plans to hold a rally at Tbilisi City Court.
Saakashvili was not allowed to attend three trial hearings in cases concerning him in previous days as, according to the government, the opposition had plans to cause unrest at the court or on the streets during the transportation of the former president to Tbilisi City Court.
In a Facebook post earlier this week, Saakashvili himself urged supporters to hold the rally stating that ‘this will be an opportunity for me to address you for the first time in two months (since his arrest in Tbilisi on October 1).’
Lawyer Shota Tutberidze also said earlier today that Saakashvili agreed to continue treatment in Gori military hospital after his 50-day hunger strike, ‘at least until Monday.’
Saakashvili said yesterday that he would refuse to receive medication if opposition MPs would not be allowed to see him.
Rati Bregadze offers prisoner Mikheil Saakashvili to be transferred to Abramishvili Gori Military Hospital. The Minister made a statement at a briefing today:
— Justice Ministry GEO (@Justice_geo) November 19, 2021
"In the interests of human life and health, this is a place where his health and safety will be protected by the state.” pic.twitter.com/yc1NCVTVwM
The trial on Monday concerns the illegal dispersal of an opposition rally in central Tbilisi on November 7, 2007 in which Saakashvili is charged with the abuse of power.
Three trial hearings have already been held in separate cases concerning Saakashvili over the past several weeks.
However, the Georgian Special Penitentiary Service refused to take Saakashvili to the court ‘to ‘prevent unrest’ because of Saakashvili’s health condition during his hunger strike.
Saakashvili called off his hunger strike last week after he accepted his transfer to Gori military hospital for treatment.
Following this, the Georgian Justice Ministry said that the former president could be taken to the court to attend trial hearings concerning him.
Saakashvili, who is now a citizen of Ukraine and is holding an official post there, says that he returned after eight years in political exile ‘to remove the Georgian Dream government from power.’
He was convicted in absentia in Georgia back in 2018 for abuse of power and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Saakashvili has also been charged with five other offences, including illegal seizure of property, embezzlement, abuse of power, illegally crossing the border and illegal rally dispersal.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who is now receiving medical care in Gori military hospital after a 50-day hunger strike, claims that opposition MPs have been banned from seeing him for more than a week.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze says that former president Mikheil Saakashvili may be brought to court to attend trial hearings in his own cases, as Saakashvili has called off his 50-day hunger strike and is now receiving medical care in Gori military hospital. Bregadze has told Imedi TV that Saakashvili was refused attendance at three trial hearings in cases concerning him because of ‘security threats and taking Saakshvili’s health while on hunger strike into account.’
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia says that the health condition of former president Mikheil Saakashvili is ‘stable’ on the 47th day of his hunger strike. Deputy head of the Medical Department of the Special Penitentiary Service Giorgi Chidrashvili said earlier today that the former president is under the supervision of doctors around the clock and that all diagnostic and lab tests are being made to prevent any complications.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili has refused online participation in a trial hearing today which concerns his illegal crossing from Ukraine to Georgia at the end of September 2021, Tbilisi City Court judge David Kurtradze said earlier today.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili has already been taken to Tbilisi City Court to attend a trial hearing concerning the illegal dispersal of an opposition rally in central Tbilisi on November 7, 2007 in which Saakashvili is charged with the abuse of power, IPN says. Neither journalists, nor opposition activists are allowed into the court’s yard. The law enforcement are present at the scene to ensure safety.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has expressed the hope that former president Mikheil Saakashvili’s supporters ‘will act responsibly’ during his trial, urging that the protest should be peaceful.
Head of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party Nika Melia says protest rallies should be on-going until the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party is overthrown and former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili released.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who was brought to Tbilisi City Court earlier today to attend a trial hearing concerning him on a rally dispersal back in 2007, says that he ‘committed no crimes,’ and that ‘it is the shame’ of the country that the ‘creator of the modern Georgian state is imprisoned.’
Georgia's former president Mikheil Saakashvili says that ‘national reconciliation,’ referring to making peace between the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and his United National Movement, ‘is the best outcome for everyone.’