A court in Georgia has sentenced former President Mikheil Saakashvili, reports the TV channel Mtavari. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for 'embezzlement of budget funds' amounting to 9 million lari, which is about 3.2 million dollars. The prosecution claims that during his presidency, Saakashvili spent state funds on personal items such as jackets and coats, paid for his son's education, and cosmetic procedures.
In this case, along with Saakashvili, the former head of the Special State Protection Service, Teimuraz Janashia, was involved. He was found guilty of abuse of office and fined 300,000 lari.
The new prison term will be calculated from the moment of Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest — October 1, 2021, writes 'Echo of the Caucasus'*. Thus, according to the sentence, he will be able to be released on October 1, 2030. In addition, legal proceedings against Saakashvili continue regarding the events of November 7, 2007, and 'illegal border crossing'.
Currently, the former president is already serving a six-year term. Sentences against him were previously handed down in two other cases — the pardon of the murderers of Sandro Girgvliani and the beating of deputy Valeri Gelashvili.
'After they found nothing, they practically sentenced me to life imprisonment for the official expenses of the presidential administration. This is how Ivanishvili's mafia clan punishes loyalty to the country and love for the homeland,' wrote Mikheil Saakashvili on Facebook**.
The former president of Georgia returned to the country in October 2021 and was detained on charges of abuse of power during the dispersal of the 2007 rally, embezzlement of the state budget, and illegal border crossing. Seven months later, he was transferred for treatment to the Vivamedi clinic for examinations — where he remains to this day.
Today's court decision means that instead of the remaining 3.5 years in prison, Saakashvili will spend another 6.5 years there.
* Recognized in Russia as a 'foreign agent' and 'undesirable' organization.
** The owner of Facebook Meta is recognized in Russia as an 'extremist' organization.