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    Georgia: Hundreds rally against former president Saakashvili outside Rustavi prison 01:23

    Georgia: Hundreds rally against former president Saakashvili outside Rustavi prison

    Georgia, Rustavi
    SocietyPolitics
    October 16, 2021 at 17:20 GMT +00:00 · Published

    Hundreds of protesters held a rally on Saturday outside Rustavi prison, where former president Saakashvili is currently jailed.

    Mikheil Saakashvili, who served as President of Georgia for two consecutive terms from 25 January 2004 to 17 November, was detained in Georgia on October 1, shortly after announcing that he intended to return to the country from Ukraine in time for the October election.

    Saakashvili was put on a domestic wanted list as he was sentenced in absentia on connections to the murder case of banker Sandro Girgvliani and the beating of MP Valeri Gelashvili. Authorities have repeatedly given warnings that they would detain the politician at a border crossing.

    While in prison, Saakashvili went on a hunger strike, calling himself a political prisoner. His supporters have since held rallies in support of the country's former leader and also collected signatures on a petition addressed to the Georgian president and government demanding Saakashvili's release.

    Georgia: Hundreds rally against former president Saakashvili outside Rustavi prison 01:23
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    Description

    Hundreds of protesters held a rally on Saturday outside Rustavi prison, where former president Saakashvili is currently jailed.

    Mikheil Saakashvili, who served as President of Georgia for two consecutive terms from 25 January 2004 to 17 November, was detained in Georgia on October 1, shortly after announcing that he intended to return to the country from Ukraine in time for the October election.

    Saakashvili was put on a domestic wanted list as he was sentenced in absentia on connections to the murder case of banker Sandro Girgvliani and the beating of MP Valeri Gelashvili. Authorities have repeatedly given warnings that they would detain the politician at a border crossing.

    While in prison, Saakashvili went on a hunger strike, calling himself a political prisoner. His supporters have since held rallies in support of the country's former leader and also collected signatures on a petition addressed to the Georgian president and government demanding Saakashvili's release.