Jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili urged Georgian citizens to prepare for runoffs and ‘celebrate victory’ on October 30 instead of ‘mourning him in advance.’

In a letter read by Saakashvili’s lawyer Nika Gvaramia at the Rustavi prison today, Saakashvili pleas to supporters to shift focus on the second ballot instead of ‘sawing nihilism’ around runoffs which is a ‘goal of Georgia’s enemy’.

Meantime, the United Nations Movement (UNM) party, founded by Saakashvili, announced a protest rally in Freedom Square in support of the ex-president on October 14. However, some lawmakers, even from the opposition, rebuff to join it.

UNM’s activity after Saakashvili’s arrival seems ‘vague’ for Girchi member Sandro Rakviashvili, although he vows to be ‘ready to fight for better justice’.

The Citizens party also dismisses to join any UNM-organized rally. “The party [UNM] that accuses the Citizens of making a deal with the ruling Georgian Dream,” said the party member Levan Ioseliani.

However, Strategy Agmashenebeli member Paata Manjgaladze says he will join a protest rally that supports not Saakashvili but human rights protection. “If the rally is against political persecution, demanding a fair court and fair elections.”

Law enforcers arrested Mikheil Saakashvili in Tbilisi on October 1 and sent him behind bars. Saakashvili, who started a hunger strike a day after his arrest, is charged with several criminal offences.