Ukraine accuses Georgia of 'torturing' jailed ex-president Saakashvili, tells Georgian ambassador to go home

Kyiv on Tuesday asked Georgia's ambassador to temporarily leave the country, condemning Tbilisi for mistreating imprisoned former leader and Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili.

Georgia's ruling party, which Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly accused of increasingly cooperating with Moscow, denounced Ukraine's decision calling it 'insulting'.

Ukraine on Tuesday condemned Georgia for 'torturing' jailed former leader Mikheil Saakashvili, a day after he looked extremely lean, skinny in a court hearing.

The foreign ministry announced in a statement that it had summoned the Georgian ambassador and said that Tbilisi's treatment of Saakashvili was "absolutely unacceptable."

"Such treatment of Mikheil Saakashvili is absolutely unacceptable. The Georgian authorities must stop torturing this citizen of Ukraine," the foreign ministry said.

Irakli Kobakhidze, the chairman of Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, told journalists on Tuesday that the Ukrainian move was "insulting".

"But we wish to remain friends with Ukraine, even unilaterally, because the country is at war," he added.

Saakashvili's TV footage sparks health concerns

Saakashvili for the first time in months appeared on television looking frail, lean with a hollow abdomen and his ribs sticking out from his chest sparking concerns over his treatment.

Doctors have released statements saying that the ex-leader of the Caucasus country is at risk of dying from conditions he has developed while in custody.

However, authorities in Georgia claim to provide adequate medical treatment to Saakashvili.

While appearing for a court hearing on the "abuse of office" charges, Saakashvili lifted his shirt and showed his ribs sticking out from his chest, a hollow abdomen and skin sticking tightly to his bones.

"A totally innocent man is being kept in custody," he said in coverage carried live on several independent TV channels. "I did not commit any crime."

"Putting me in jail will not break me. I am going to be actively involved in Georgian politics," he said.

Zelensky asks Georgian ambassador to Kyiv to 'save' Saakashvili

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday urged the Georgian ambassador to Kyiv to return home and make efforts to save Georgia's jailed former president Mikheil Saakashvili.

Saakashvili, who was the leader of Georgia from 2004 to 2013, was imprisoned in the year 2021 after coming back from banishment on abuse of power charges that rights groups condemn as politically motivated.

Zelensky made Saakashvili a Ukrainian citizen in the year 2019. He took to Twitter and accused Tbilisi of increasingly cooperating with Moscow.

"Right now, Russia is killing Ukrainian citizen Mykhailo Saakashvili at the hands of the Georgian authorities. We have repeatedly called on the official Tbilisi to stop this abuse and agree on Saakashvili's return to Ukraine. Our partners, in coordination with Ukraine, have also offered various rescue options," Zelensky said on Twitter.

"Today, I instructed the ministry of foreign affairs to summon the Georgian ambassador to Ukraine, to express our strong protest and to ask him to leave Ukraine within 48 hours to hold consultations with his capital," the tweet read.

He then called on the Georgian authorities to hand over Saakashvili to Ukraine for his necessary treatment.

"Once again, I call on the Georgian authorities to hand over Ukrainian citizen Mykhailo Saakashvili to Ukraine for the necessary treatment and care. And I urge our partners to address this situation and not ignore it and save this man. No government in Europe has the right to execute people, life is a basic European value," he further wrote.

(With inputs from agencies)

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