Special Penitentiary Service: Saakashvili violated rules by addressing crowds from a cell

The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia says that former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili violated the prison regulations yesterday when he addressed crowds from a cell, praising them for standing by him.

The penitential service says that the former president had a bathing day, was isolated in a bathroom when he ‘used the opportunity’ and approached the window of the cell.

Saakashvili, who has been on hunger strike since his detention in Tbilisi on October 1, says that he returned to Georgia, after eight years in political exile, to help his United National Movement party replace the ‘pro-Russian Georgian Dream government.’ 

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

Saakashvili has also been charged with four other offences as of today.

The latest charge, for illegally crossing the border from Ukraine to Georgia, was filed earlier this week.

Saakashvili is against his hospitalisation in a prison clinic, saying that he is ready to take medicines to maintain strength.

Four individuals have been charged so far for supporting Saakashvili for illegally crossing the border and moving inside Georgian territory. 

All of them have been sent to pretrial detention.