Concerns about the health of imprisoned former Georgian leader Saakashvili raised due to severe malnutrition | Political updates

Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, who is currently imprisoned, has sparked concerns among supporters and family members who believe he has been poisoned. Saakashvili appeared frail and severely emaciated during a recent court hearing via video link. His weight has reportedly dropped to about 60kg, roughly half of what he weighed when he was arrested in October 2021. Supporters claim that his deteriorating health is a result of being poisoned while in prison.

During the court hearing, Saakashvili lifted his shirt to reveal his protruding ribs, hollow abdomen, and skin tightly clinging to his bones. He passionately proclaimed his innocence, stating that he had not committed any crime. The former president, who is being held at a civilian hospital after a 50-day hunger strike last year, expressed his determination to remain actively involved in Georgian politics, stressing that his imprisonment would not break him.

Saakashvili served as Georgia’s president from 2004 to 2013 and played a prominent role in the Rose Revolution protests that led to the ousting of the previous president. After the end of his second term, he left for Ukraine, where he held Ukrainian citizenship and served as the governor of the Odesa region. However, he was arrested in October 2021 upon returning to Georgia to support opposition forces before municipal elections. Saakashvili is currently on trial for charges of “abuse of office” related to a 2007 opposition rally.

Concerns about Saakashvili’s health and treatment have drawn international attention. The European Union and the United States have called on Georgia to provide him with adequate medical care and protect his rights. Amnesty International has labeled his treatment as “apparent political revenge.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Georgia to send Saakashvili to Ukraine for medical treatment and accused Moscow of being behind the mistreatment of the ex-president in prison.

Zelenskyy claimed that Saakashvili is being slowly killed in Georgian custody and called on the international community to intervene and save him. He criticized the Georgian authorities for their actions, emphasizing that no government in Europe has the right to execute people. Zelenskyy’s frustration stems from Georgia’s lack of support for Western sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Georgia, which had received significant US support during Saakashvili’s presidency, lost a brief war against Russia in 2008 and ceded control of its breakaway territories.

As Saakashvili’s health continues to deteriorate and concerns about his well-being persist, his supporters and family members are calling for proper medical treatment and an investigation into the possibility of poisoning. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and urging Georgia to ensure the protection of Saakashvili’s rights and well-being.

Original Story at www.aljazeera.com – 2023-07-04 03:00:23