ALBAWABA - Ukraine accused Georgia of torturing ex-Georgian president and now Ukrainian national Mikheil Saakashvili, after appearing in court extremely weak and emaciated.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a tweet that "right now, Russia is killing Ukrainian citizen Mykhailo Saakashvili at the hands of the Georgian authorities".
Zelenskyy said that he instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the Georgian Ambassador, Grigol Katamadze, to Ukraine, to express the country's strong protest, and to ask him to leave Ukraine within 48 hours to hold consultations with his capital.
Zelenskyy added: "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".
Saakashvili, who is presently imprisoned for illegally crossing the border of Georgia, took part in the court proceeding online today. He discussed his health and removed his shirt to show his physical state during his statement. Saakashvili's stomach and jutting ribs indicate that he has dropped a lot of weight.
The Georgian ambassador has been called by Kyiv and told to leave the country within 48 hours so that he can hold negotiations with his own administration.
