The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has accepted a lawsuit of imprisoned former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili against Georgia which concerns two cases while Saakashvili was in office - beating the opposition MP Valeri Gelashvili and pardoning of convicts in the high-profile murder case of Sandro Girgvliani.

Saakashvili faces abuse of power charges in the cases, claiming that the charges ‘are groundless’ and he is ‘politically persecuted.’

Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze says that the prosecution has ‘solid arguments and evidence’ that Saakashvili committed the crime.

Saakashvili, who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship, was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1, 2021 after eight years in political exile.

He was convicted in absentia in Georgia back in 2018 and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Saakashvili also faces several other charges.