Ex-pres. Saakashvili claims he fainted, lost consciousness in clinic

Georgia’s imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili on Friday said he fainted and lost consciousness for some time in the Vivamedi civilian clinic in Tbilisi, where he has been undergoing treatment since May. 

The third president made the claims during his online engagement in the ongoing trial hearing in Tbilisi city court on granting his release or the postponement of the rest of his six-year-sentence for abuse of power while in office on medical grounds, with the process kicked off in December. 

Giuli Alasania, Saakashvili’s mother, told the media her son is in “critical condition” and is in need of “urgent treatment abroad”. 

Saakashvili, who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship, was arrested in Tbilisi in October 2021, after eight years in self-imposed political exile. 

The Georgian Dream authorities say the former official is engaged in “self-harm” to “escape justice”.