Saakashvili could face life in prison for 'treason'

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, currently serving a 12.5-year prison sentence, may never be released. The Georgian authorities are preparing a 6th criminal case against him, this time over his role in the 2008 war in South Ossetia.

According to Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Saakashvili and his close associates could be charged with instigating the conflict.

Papuashvili noted that at the time, senior Georgian military officials spoke of plans to 'restore constitutional order in South Ossetia', while Saakashvili himself declared martial law.

He also referenced a resolution by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which stated that Georgian strikes on Tskhinvali were the “trigger” for the war.

Previously, a special investigative commission in the Georgian Parliament released a report detailing alleged crimes committed under Saakashvili’s administration. The report documented instances of political repression and misuse of government resources for personal gain.

Notably, just yesterday, opposition groups held a protest in central Tbilisi against the commission’s findings. Around 20 people were reportedly detained.