Saakashvili claims state intelligence ‘spreading rumours’ on his return to prison

Georgia’s former president Mikheil Saakashvili says that the country’’s State Security Service is spreading rumours on his transfer to Rustavi prison from Gori military hospital, where he was taken on November 19 on the 50th day of his hunger strike. 

Saakashhvili claims that the state agency is acting in the way ‘to blackmail him and his supporters,’ stating that the opposition’s fight ‘will become more intense’ in the coming days. 

He also said that the ‘best outcome for everyone is national reconciliation.’ 

Saakashvili,who is a citizen of Ukraine, was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after eight years in political exile. 

He says he returned to remove the Georgian Dream government from power. 

Saakashvili was convicted in Georgia in absentia back in 2018 for abuse of power and was sentenced to six years in prison. 

He has also been charged with five other offences. 

Saakashvili says that he is a political prisoner.