“The will of the conqueror has been fulfilled. It is a response to my refusal to surrender Georgia. For the first time in centuries, we dared to establish a successful Georgian state,” reads a letter from jailed former President Mikheil Saakashvili, which was shared with the media by Tina Bokuchava, Chair of the United National Movement (UNM) party.

Saakashvili asserts that Ivanishvili’s “mafia clan punishes dedication and love for the motherland.”

“The verdict delivered by the oligarch comes as a “big surprise”. The will of the conqueror has been fully enacted in response to my refusal to yield. For the first time in centuries, we dared to create a thriving Georgian state. After finding nothing against me, they effectively sentenced me to life imprisonment for official expenses incurred by the presidential office. It is how Ivanishvili’s mafia clan punishes loyalty and devotion to the homeland. They will not intimidate us; the true strength lies in our unity,” Saakashvili stated.

The Tbilisi City Court has convicted former President Mikheil Saakashvili of embezzling a substantial amount of state funds, sentencing him to nine years in prison for this offence.