Zelensky calls on Georgia to release Saakashvili for treatment abroad

President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the Georgian government to transfer ex-President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, imprisoned in Georgia for over a year, to a clinic outside of the country.

Saakashvili was arrested in October 2021 after returning to Georgia from exile and jailed on what he says are trumped-up charges of abuse of office and embezzlement.

He has gone on a hunger strike twice since his arrest and has reportedly suffered significant weight loss, and is unable to move with help.

"Most likely, everyone can see in what condition Mikheil Saakashvili is now, can see the state of his health. Therefore, I am appealing to the people of Georgia, to the authorities of Georgia - we must show mercy, especially in the run-up to Christmas. What is happening to Mikheil now is bullying. This does not suit Georgia. This must be stopped," Zelensky said in his nightly address on Dec. 19.

"Please make a decision that can save his life. Transfer Mykhailo Saakashvili to one of the clinics in Ukraine, another European country, or America. It is time to take this good step," he said.

Saakashvili is a Ukrainian citizen and served as the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Executive Committee for Reform.