Solidarity rally for jailed ex-Pres. Saakashvili underway in Tbilisi, major cities across country
The rallies have also been held in several cities around the world demanding Saakashvili’s release and transfer abroad for medical treatment. Levan Khabeishvili, a candidate for the UNM party’s chairmanship, also has held a parallel solidarity rally with his supporters in Tbilisi. Photo: Tabula/Facebook
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The leaders of the United National Movement party and other opposition parties, as well as Georgian citizens, are currently gathered at a solidarity rally for the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili at the Peace Bridge in Georgia's capital Tbilisi and other major cities across the country.
The rallies have also been held in several cities around the world demanding Saakashvili’s release and transfer abroad for medical treatment. Levan Khabeishvili, a candidate for the UNM party’s chairmanship, also has held a parallel solidarity rally with his supporters in Tbilisi.
Saakashvili has been receiving treatment at the Vivamedi clinic since May 12, after he was moved from the Gori Military Hospital - where he was transferred in late November 2021 from the hospital of the Gldani No.18 prison.
The third President of Georgia, currently a citizen of Ukraine, was arrested in Tbilisi in October 2021 on his clandestine return to Georgia ahead of municipal elections. He has been serving a six-year term for abuse of power in two separate cases stemming back to his time in power, while three other cases are pending.
The opposition United National Movement party on Tuesday said it was “regretful” that “some individuals” among its membership were using the topic of an upcoming rally for supporting the imprisoned former President Saakashvili to “cause a split”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said President Salome Zourabichvili would need to consider her voters’ 2018 rejection of the opposition United National Movement party in deciding whether she would pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Wednesday met representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps in the country to provide them with “detailed information” about developments around the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, the Ministry said.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Wednesday said the “principal question” on whether she would pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvi would be “answered in time”.