Saakashvili's Condition Deteriorating Day by Day, Lost 12kg in 8 Days: Lawyer

The former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, who has declared a hunger strike since his arrest in his homeland, has lost 12 kg in just 8 days. This was reported today to journalists by his lawyer, Beka Basilaya.

“If you look at him, it is evident that he has lost weight. As far as I know, he has lost about 12 kg. His health condition will start to deteriorate day by day, if it has not worsened already. Morally, he is happy,” said Basilaya after visiting Saakashvili in prison.

According to the lawyer, Saakashvili still does not have the right to make phone calls, a restriction that Basilaya deems illegal. He added that Saakashvili now has a television and an additional mattress provided for him.

It is reported that on Monday, Saakashvili's parents and children will be able to meet with him.

Today, the politician's father, Nikoloz Saakashvili, addressed his son through social media, urging him to stop the hunger strike.

To remind, Mikheil Saakashvili was arrested on October 1, when he returned to Georgia to support the opposition in the local self-government elections scheduled for October 2. The former president was sentenced in absentia for assaulting a member of Parliament and for organizing the murder of a banker. Additionally, he faces charges in several other cases, including embezzlement of state funds, abuse of power, and illegally crossing the border.