“I do not recognize the prosecution or the Georgian judiciary. I am not here to be part of a pre-written comedy,” ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili stated at his trial, which is underway at Tbilisi City Court.
Judges allowed the ex-president to drink water but disallowed a performance of the national anthem in the court hall.
Saakashvili’s reaction was: “Banning the anthem which I created? No, I don’t want to argue now.”
Saakashvili’s lawyer Beka Basilaia asked the panel of judges to allow a live broadcast of the trial to all national TV channels. Judge Nino Elieshvili drew the line at broadcasting live on social media.
“Stop broadcasting. Otherwise, leave the hall,” the judge said, after which the lawyers stopped broadcasting.
The statements of Mikheil Saakashvili, the judge and the lawyer have been spread by the Public Broadcaster, which is currently the only media outlet broadcasting the trial live.
Former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, is attending his trial being heard by a panel of three judges at the Tbilisi City Court. At the same time, his supporters are rallying in front of the court building amid tightened security measures.
Tbilisi City Court today discusses the November 7, 2007 episode. Mikheil Saakashvili and former state officials Davit Kezerashvili, Zurab Adeishvili, Gigi Ugulava and Vano Merabishvili have been charged with dispersing the November 7 rally, invading Imedi TV and seizing Mtatsminda Park.
To date, ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has been convicted in absentia to six years of imprisonment.
By Ana Dumbadze
