The imprisoned former Georgian president and dual citizen of Georgia and Ukraine, Mikheil Saakashvili, called on Ukrainians for support by joining the Freemisha campaign on Monday
KYIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th December, 2021) The imprisoned former Georgian president and dual citizen of Georgia and Ukraine, Mikheil Saakashvili, called on Ukrainians for support by joining the Freemisha campaign on Monday.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he personally, together with the Ukrainian authorities, would tackle the issue of returning Saakashvili. Georgian prosecutor Jarji Tsiklauri said that the question of Saakashvili's extradition to Ukraine was not under consideration.
"Despite all the torture and completely politically rigged processes (this is the assessment of Amnesty and other competent organizations) - I am not broken. Most insulting to me was the police hunting for the Ukrainian flags and violently trampling them at a large rally in my support. I appeal to you for support. Join the #Freemisha campaign on Facebook, labeling stickers on cars and houses! I love you!" Saakashvili wrote on Facebook.
The former president recalled that he went on a hunger strike lasting 50 days, he was beaten and tortured and that he was "very close to death."
In 2018, Saakashvili was sentenced to six years in absentia over abuse of power and a crackdown on the 2007 protests. He was arrested on October 1 shortly after returning to Georgia after years in exile, days before local elections. The arrest sparked protests, which only intensified after Saakashvili declared a hunger strike in prison. He has since ended the hunger strike and is currently on trial.
