Lawyers request postponement of ex-Pres Saakashvili’s sentence for one year

A lawyer of imprisoned former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, Shalva Khachapuridze, said on Tuesday that the defense side is demanding the postponement of a sentence for one year, “which is both domestic and international practice” for Saakashvili to allow the latter to “care about his poor health”. 

Responding to Monday’s statement by the country’s Justice Minister Rati Bregadze over the possible checks of Saakashvili’s health by independent experts, the lawyer said that the Government was authorized to do that without the convict’s consent. 

“Saakashvili said that he has nothing against the move”, Khachapuridze said. 

In his comments, the Justice Minister said that the court could make a decision on Saakashvili’s postponement of sentence. 

The former President, who was arrested in Tbilisi in October 2021 after eight years in political exile, is now serving his six-year-term for abuse of power while in office. 

Saakashvili, who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship, was convicted in absentia back in 2018.