15:34, 11 September 2017

Defence states threat of torturing Saakashvili in Georgia

Mikhail Saakashvili. Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Today, Markiyan Galabala, one of Saakashvili's advocates, has lodged an application to the State Migration Service of Ukraine asking to recognize that his client needs additional protection, the advocate himself told on air of the “NewsOne” TV Channel.

According to Mr Galabala, Mikhail Saakashvili may be an object of harassment by Georgian authorities.

At his homeland, the former Georgian president is accused of a number of crimes, including embezzlement of state funds and abuse of office. On August 18, the Georgia’s General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) reported that it had asked Ukraine law enforcers to extradite Saakashvili.

"We fear that should this request be satisfied, Saakashvili may be tortured in Georgia and have no right to a fair trial. In order to protect Saakashvili and oblige Ukraine to take on additional responsibility for his defence, we have lodged the above application," the advocate has explained.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 10, Mikhail Saakashvili and his supporters broke through the cordon near the "Shegini" crossing point on the Polish-Ukrainian border. According to the "Interfax", during the incident 11 policemen and five border guards received traumas.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.