Former President Mikheil Saakashvili, accused of illegally crossing the state border of Georgia, was imprisoned as a preventive measure. Judge Mikheil Jinjolia satisfied the petition of the prosecutor's office.

The judge explained the said decision.

"The court believes that, taking into account the specifics of the committed crime, there are relevant threats. Considering that the trial of the case has started from the beginning, the witnesses are being questioned, there are threats of influencing the witnesses or destroying the evidence, as well as committing a new crime, therefore the petition is well-founded and the court decided to grant the petition of the prosecution, therefore Mikheil Saakashvili should be imprisoned as a preventive measure. And Mikheil Saakashvili's prison term should start counting from the moment of the announcement of the verdict", said Mikheil Jinjolia.

At today's session, the prosecutor of the case, Grogol Nishnianidze, submitted a motion to use imprisonment as a preventive measure against Saakashvili.

As the prosecutor explained in the petition, since the re-examination of the evidence and the re-interrogation of the witnesses begin, there is a danger of the accused hiding from the former president, committing a new crime and influencing the witnesses.

The defense did not agree to the mentioned motion and as lawyer Beka Basilaya pointed out, this is a political order. The lawyer believes that the authorities were afraid of releasing him.

Beka Basilaia asked the judge to explain on what basis he made this decision.

"What is the justification that Saakashvili will influence the witnesses? Do you know that he is placed in "Vivamed"? Will he call us from the balcony, or will he instruct us to the lawyers? Or will a medical staff, an escort employee do this? Will he hide in the ward? You said as a justification that Mikheil Saakashvili should be imprisoned because In order not to hide, list the dangers. How should a person who is under escort hide, at the level of common sense? to release him?" Basilaia said.

For information, Mikheil Saakashvili was not imprisoned as a preventive measure in any current case. He only serves a sentence of guilty verdict.

We remind you that the investigation into the illegal border crossing by Mikheil Saakashvili began on October 1, 2021. In the framework of the mentioned case, charges have been brought against 4 more persons - Elguja Tsomaia, Zurab and Shalva Tsotsoria and Giorgi Narimanidze. The mentioned case is being processed separately, they are released on bail.