Saakashvili sentenced to additional 9 years amid protests
Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili was sentenced on Wednesday to an additional nine years in prison for the embezzlement of public funds. The politician is already serving a six-year prison sentence.
- Mikheil Saakashvili, former President of Georgia, was sentenced to an additional 9 years in prison for embezzling public funds.
- The prosecution accused him of spending approximately 4.6 million Canadian dollars for personal purposes between 2009 and 2013.
- Saakashvili denies the charges, claiming the trial was politically motivated.
What were the reactions to the verdict?
After the verdict was announced, protests erupted in the courtroom. Saakashvili's supporters accused the judge of being a "slave of Bidzina," referring to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the richest Georgian and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Saakashvili was not present at the trial, and his supporters emphasize the political nature of the charges.
What's next for Saakashvili?
Saakashvili, who was imprisoned in October 2021, may leave prison no earlier than October 1, 2030. In the meantime, the former president has conducted several hunger strikes, spending most of his sentence in a prison hospital. Further legal proceedings are ongoing against the politician, indicating more complications in his legal situation.
