“Before your eyes, they are destroying and eliminating a person who wanted everything for Georgia and everything for our peoples, for Georgia and Ukraine,” stated former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, reacting to today’s Tbilisi City Court decision regarding his illegal border crossing case.

According to Saakashvili, he is being punished because he “dared and managed to transform Georgia into a successful state.”

“I want to respond to this executioner-like, illegal, shameful series of decisions made by Ivanishvili’s Russian injustice factory, which has essentially sentenced me to destruction in prison, to physical elimination.

I want to thank everyone who has shown solidarity and support towards me so far, including even political opponents who express human solidarity. Before your eyes, they are destroying and eliminating a person who wanted everything for Georgia and everything for our people, for Georgia and Ukraine.

To those who still believe I am being sentenced to life imprisonment and destruction for sending a few sheep to our Azerbaijani fellow citizens for a holiday, for purchasing three jackets and one coat, or for crossing the border when I had no other means to enter Georgia legally, of course, I cannot explain anything to such people. I think there are no longer any such individuals in the world. My philosophy has always centred on a strong Georgia, strong citizens, education, and security, which is why we developed our cities. Now, Georgians travel and admire the Emirates, recognizing it as a remarkable country—but Georgia could have been an even greater nation had we been allowed to continue our progress.

This so-called legal destruction is intended to intimidate the Georgian people and all my supporters, while also sending a threatening message to President Zelenskyy, warning him that he may face a similar fate if he does not surrender Ukraine.

I am being judged and destroyed with particular cynicism for not surrendering the country in 2008. All of this is for that, for returning Adjara to Georgia’s jurisdiction in 2004 when we wrested a separatist city from Russia. I am being judged for daring and managing to transform Georgia into a successful state, for defeating corruption, for striving for the people and not for my own pocket. I was dangerous to the forces of evil as a president, as the governor of the Odesa region and as a fighter for Ukraine. I am dangerous to them in prison, and I will be dangerous even dead because my name is forever linked to the fight for freedom and good,” Mikheil Saakashvili stated during his remote participation in the ongoing trial of the November 7 case.

Saakashvili called on the people to continue the fight and noted that this was the only way to save the country.

“People, let’s look at what’s happening very simply: in Serbia, countless individuals have taken to the streets, leading the Serbian president to acknowledge that the government should act differently and to express a desire to call for elections. The message I want to convey is that we are fighting—and we must continue to fight, as there is no other option. The alternative is the loss of our country. Look at Armenia and Azerbaijan as they sign agreements; observe Turkey and Armenia doing the same. The only unfortunate and abandoned country left is Georgia—unprotected and devastated. I never imagined I would witness this, but we fight, and we will prevail; that is the only path forward.

To my enemies, I want to say this: I will remain a danger to you, both in prison and even in death, because my name is forever associated with the struggle for freedom and the success of Georgia. This cause will resonate within our nation for centuries to come. You can attempt to destroy me, but you cannot extinguish the idea of Georgia’s freedom. As years and centuries pass, recognition of what we have achieved will only grow, and condemnation of your actions will increase. This vendetta has its architects, and they must face a harsh reckoning from the Georgian people. I am fighting, and together we will win,” Mikheil Saakashvili declared.

Mikheil Saakashvili was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for the case of illegal border crossing, and with the totality of sentences, his term was set at 12 years and six months.