Former Georgian president faces extended prison sentence, set to stay behind bars until 2030

Former Georgian President and Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili has been sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison by the Tbilisi City Court for illegally crossing Georgia's state border. This latest sentence adds to his already substantial prison term, bringing his total sentence to 12.6 years.

The period of his punishment is calculated from October 1, 2021, as per Georgian legislation. Based on this timeline, Saakashvili is expected to be released in October 2030, unless he is granted a pardon or released on parole, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media.

Under Georgian law, the decision to pardon a prisoner rests with the President of Georgia, while conditional release is determined by a commission that evaluates factors such as the severity of the crime, the convict’s behavior, and an assessment of any risks posed by their release.

To recall, on March 12, former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili was sentenced to nine years in prison by Judge Badri Kochlamazashvili in the so-called Jackets Case, which revolves around the misappropriation of state funds. The court found Saakashvili guilty of misusing approximately 9 million GEL (around USD 3.2 million) from the state budget between 2009 and 2012.

The prosecution argued that the funds, which were allocated to the Special State Protection Service, were diverted for Saakashvili’s personal expenses, including luxury hotel stays, spa treatments, cosmetic procedures, and clothing purchases. These expenses were not only for Saakashvili but also for his close allies, friends, and family.

Saakashvili, who served as Georgia's president from 2004 to 2012, was originally charged with abuse of power in 2018 and sentenced to six years in absentia. However, he was arrested upon his return to Georgia from Ukraine in 2021, and his most recent sentence extends his incarceration until 2030.

In a related development, former head of the Special State Protection Service, Teimuraz Janashia, a defendant in the same case, was fined 300,000 GEL (approximately USD 110,000). The judge stated that although there was no evidence Janashia personally spent the misappropriated funds, he had abused his position to act against the public interest.

Opposition figures and Saakashvili’s defence team, including former members of the United National Movement (UNM) government, have criticized the case, calling it politically motivated.

Saakashvili, who was already sentenced in absentia in 2018 for abuse of power, was arrested after returning to Georgia from Ukraine in 2021. Since his arrest, he has been imprisoned, and after several months of a hunger strike, he was transferred to the Vivamedi clinic, where he continues to receive medical treatment.

In addition to this case, Saakashvili faces two other pending trials. One concerns events from 2007, including the violent dispersal of anti-government protests, a raid on Imedi TV, and the seizure of assets linked to tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. The other involves charges related to his illegal border crossing during his unexpected return to Georgia in 2021. Under Georgian law, prison sentences for multiple cases are not cumulative.

By Vafa Guliyeva