Former President Mikheil Saakashvili Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison

The former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. He was found guilty of embezzling budgetary funds in particularly large amounts.

The decision was announced by Judge Badri Kochlamazashvili of the Tbilisi City Court. The court also found the former head of the special security service, Teimuraz Janashia, guilty of abuse of official power and fined him 300,000 lari.

Both Saakashvili and Janashia have repeatedly denied the charges, stating that the proceedings are politically motivated.