16:58 05.01.2018

Saakashvili intends to continue fighting corruption, oligarchs in Ukraine, Georgia

2 min read
Saakashvili intends to continue fighting corruption, oligarchs in Ukraine, Georgia

Former Georgia President and Movement of New Forces Party leader Mikheil Saakashvili has condemned the in absentia ruling in Georgia, calling it, "an egregious usurpation of authority," and adding that the court decision is illegal. He said he will continue his activities in Ukraine and Georgia, despite cases against him.

"This is the first time in the world when a president is being tried for using unlimited constitutional powers to pardon prisoners. I don't know any other example in any other country where this has happened," Saakashvili said during a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

Tbilisi City Court on Friday found Saakashvili guilty in the case on "malicious abuse of power" as Georgian president and sentenced him to three years in prison.

The court fully agreed with accusations from the prosecutor's office that Saakashvili pardoned four police officers in 2009 who served a prison term for the murder of bank employee Sandro Girgvliani in 2006. This murder case had caused public outcry in Georgia, because former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili, Head of the Department for Constitutional Security Data Akhalaia and other high-ranking law enforcement officials were involved in the killing.

Saakashvili said the guilty verdict was the result of pressure by Georgian officials and ex-Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili, in cooperation with Ukrainian authorities.

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