Georgian ex-president sentenced to nine more years on fraud charge

Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia, has been sentenced to an additional nine years in prison on charges of embezzlement.

The ruling, handed down on Wednesday, follows his conviction for misappropriating 9 million Georgian lari (approximately USD 3.3 million) through fraudulent expense claims, which prosecutors characterized as "luxury" spending.

Saakashvili, who served as president from 2004 to 2013, denies the charges and maintains the expenses were legitimate. In response to the verdict, he called the trial an "outrageous case of political persecution" on social media.

This new sentence adds to the six years he is already serving for abuse of power. After returning to Georgia in 2021, Saakashvili was jailed immediately and has spent much of his time in a prison hospital. With both sentences running concurrently, Saakashvili is expected to remain behind bars until 2030.

The former president is also facing other legal challenges, including charges related to his illegal return to Georgia in 2021, as well as his role in a violent crackdown on protesters in 2007.

The court's decision sparked an outburst from Saakashvili’s supporters, who shouted at the judge, accusing him of being a "slave" to the government. This ruling comes amid Saakashvili's polarizing influence on Georgia's political landscape.

Saakashvili's rise to power was marked by the 2003 Rose Revolution, which propelled him to leadership as a reformist and anti-corruption advocate.

Under his presidency, Georgia made significant strides in governance and economic development. However, his later years in office were marred by controversial decisions, including the authoritarian crackdown on political opponents and the disastrous 2008 war with Russia.

In 2012, his party, the United National Movement, was defeated by a coalition led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who still holds substantial political power in Georgia.

After leaving office, Saakashvili moved to Ukraine, briefly serving as governor of Odesa. Upon returning to Georgia in 2021, he was arrested and imprisoned for his past convictions.

His imprisonment has since become a focal point of Georgia's political tensions, with the ruling Georgian Dream party accusing opposition parties of maintaining ties to Saakashvili.

As the divide between the ruling party and opposition grows, Saakashvili's fate remains a symbol of Georgia's deepening political rift and its evolving relationship with Russia.