(Reuters) – The USA is “carefully following” the remedy of Georgia’s hunger-striking former President Mikheil Saakashvili since his arrest on Oct. 1, the U.S. State Division mentioned on Thursday.
“We urge the Authorities of Georgia to deal with Mr. Saakashvili pretty and with dignity,” the Division mentioned in a press release. “We additionally strongly urge the Authorities of Georgia to make sure Mr. Saakashvili is ready to attend all courtroom hearings for his pending legal instances.”
Saakashvili, who has been on starvation strike in jail for greater than a month and a half, could quickly face varied well being problems, a rights group mentioned on Wednesday.
The Public Defender group mentioned the jail hospital treating Saakashvili lacks correct medical gear and different inmates have threatened and abused him.
Saakashvili was arrested on Oct. 1 after getting back from exile to Georgia to rally the opposition on the eve of native elections, in what he described as a mission to save lots of the nation. He faces six years in jail after being convicted in absentia in 2018 of abusing his workplace throughout his 2004-2013 presidency, expenses he rejects as politically motivated.
Saakashvili is essentially the most outstanding and divisive residing determine in Georgia’s post-Soviet historical past, having come to energy through a peaceable “Rose Revolution” in 2003. He led the nation right into a disastrous warfare with Russia 5 years later.
His case has drawn 1000’s of his supporters onto the streets in latest weeks and raised political tensions within the nation of three.7 million individuals. The state safety service has accused him of plotting a coup.
Georgian authorities have mentioned Saakashvili is not going to be pardoned.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Enhancing by Chris Reese and Dan Grebler)
