Saakashvili sentenced to four more years in prison

The Georgia court has granted a more sentence to the prison of former prison President Michael Saakashvili.

Saakashvili was sentenced on Monday to four and a half years behind bars for illegally crossing the border when he returned to the country from exile in 2021, his lawyer said.

He is already serving simultaneous conditions for assignment and abuse of power while in service, bringing his overall sentence to more than 12 years.

Saakashvili has always denied misconduct and called his last sentence “illegal” and “unfair.” Right groups say his prison is politically motivated.

Saakashvili opposes the ruling Georgian dream party that favors more close ties with Russia. As president, he tried to build a closer relationship with Western governments.

In a video posted on X on Monday by the hospital where he is taking place, Saakashvili said, “No matter everything, I will fight until the end.”

The former president was sentenced last week to nine years behind bars for misappropriation, moving with the prison he had already served. In 2018, he was tried in absentia and sentenced to two separate trials.

Saakashvili was arrested in 2021 after making a surprising return to Georgia before the country’s local elections, smuggling in a ferry country from Ukraine.

He called for mass anti -government demonstrations, but was quickly arrested by Georgian authorities.

The 57-year-old has led Georgia for two terms between 2004 and 2013. Since leaving the country, he has lived in Ukraine for the most part.

He received Ukrainian citizenship in 2015, giving up his Georgian citizenship when he became the manager of the Odessa region in Ukraine.

His citizenship was canceled in 2017 before being restored again by President Volodimir Zelenski in 2019.

“This (sentence) mainly sends a message … to President Zelenski to scare him to show what happens when you do not betray his country … I did not give up to Georgia,” said Saakashvili in my video address while wearing a black shirt with the words “I’m Ukrainian” those robbed.

Zelenski, who appointed Saakashvili to monitor the reforms in Ukraine, demanded his transfer to Kiev.

Previously, he accused Russia of “Saakashvili’s murder” in the hands of Georgian authorities.

The European Union repeatedly calls for the immediate release of Saakashvili from prison, expressing concern about worsening health.

The Council of Europe’s Council has marked a “political prisoner”, while Amnesty International called its treatment “Obviously Political Revenge”.