Georgia’s National Movement MPs go on hunger strike in support of Saakashvili

Three deputies of the Georgian parliament from the largest opposition party United National Movement Davit Kirkitadze, Anna Tsitlidze and Abdul Ismayilov went on a hunger strike in support of convicted ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, Report informs referring to Sputnik-Georgia.

Lawyers, relatives, associates and supporters of Saakashvili say he is dying and are demanding his release so he can go abroad for treatment. Consideration of the application for annulment or suspension of punishment has been postponed in court twice already. Since May 12, the ex-president has been at the Vivamedi clinic.

“Today my friends and I, despite the diversity of opinions in the faction, decided to go on a hunger strike until Mikheil Saakashvili is transferred to the country where his health will be ensured,” Kirkitadze said.

He expressed confidence that others would resort to this form of protest, both in parliament and outside it.

On December 14, after the Special Penitentiary Service denied Saakashvili a remote connection to the court session, which was supposed to consider the issue of repeal or suspension of punishment, the ex-president went on a hunger strike - the third in a row after being taken into custody on October 1, 2021.

A few hours later, Saakashvili canceled his hunger strike, saying that he listened to the MEPs. He said that the deputies of the European Parliament called for an end to the hunger strike, so as not to give rise to talk that he is engaged in self-mutilation.