Zelensky called on the Georgian authorities to hand over Mikheil Saakashvili to Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the Georgian authorities to hand over Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili to Ukraine for treatment. This happened against the background of the publication of a video showing his current state of health.

Zelensky instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the ambassador of Georgia to Ukraine, express his protest and offer him to leave the country within 48 hours so that he consults with the official Tbilisi.

The president also called on partners "not to ignore this situation and save this person", because "no power in Europe has the right to execute people, life is a basic European value".

He reminded that Ukraine has repeatedly offered the Georgian authorities to agree on the return of Saakashvili. Ukrainian partners also put forward different options for return.

• In Georgia, Saakashvili was convicted in absentia in the murder of banker Sandro Girgvliani (3 years in prison) and the beating of MP Valery Gelashvili (6 years). He is also involved in the case of the dispersal of an opposition rally on November 7, 2007, and the pogrom of the "Imedi" television company.
• After returning to Georgia, Saakashvili announced a hunger strike on October 1, 2021, after being sent to prison. He stopped his hunger strike on November 20, after which he underwent a course of treatment in a military hospital. On January 31, 2022, Saakashvili was returned to the Rustavi prison. Doctors reported that the politicianʼs condition had significantly worsened in prison, he had lost almost 50 kilograms.
• On February 6, the Verkhovna Rada appealed to Georgia and other countries to transfer ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili for treatment abroad.
• At the beginning of June, the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, offered to release former President Mikheil Saakashvili from prison. She suggests putting an electronic bracelet on him. However, when asked whether a pardon for Saakashvili is possible, Zurabishvili replied that it would still not compensate for the damage he caused to Georgia.