Former President Saakashvili Sentenced to Additional Jail Time

Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence for illegally crossing the state border, adding to his existing sentences. Convicted of various charges including embezzlement and abuse of power, Saakashvili claims the accusations are politically motivated. He will remain incarcerated until 2034.

Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili has been handed an additional four-and-a-half-year prison sentence for illegally crossing the state border, according to the Georgian news agency Interpress. This extends his imprisonment until 2034, as the sentences will run concurrently. Saakashvili has been behind bars since 2021 on what he argues are politically-motivated charges.

Saakashvili, who held office from 2004 to 2013, was found guilty last week of embezzling 9 million Georgian lari—approximately $3.3 million—through expenses prosecutors deemed luxurious. Already serving a six-year sentence for abuse of power, he has mostly spent his time in a prison hospital.

Beyond these charges, he faces trial concerning a 2007 crackdown on protesters. Following his presidency, Saakashvili moved to Ukraine and served briefly as the governor of Odesa. Despite being convicted in absentia, he returned to Georgia in 2021 and was immediately jailed.

(With inputs from agencies.)