Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia, has been the subject of allegations regarding poisoning with heavy metals. On a TVP Info segment aired on Thursday, Giorgi Chaladze, a representative for Saakashvili, said the ailing figure was very weak and suggested that his health deterioration was connected to his political stance against the Russian regime. Chaladze implied that the Kremlin sees Saakashvili as an adversary worthy of broader retaliation.
What substances were claimed in the poisoning?
The spokesperson stated that Saakashvili had reportedly been exposed to mercury, arsenic, and other harmful substances. The comments were made during an interview and carried by the TVP Info portal, reflecting the perspective of the former president’s circle.
The representative described Saakashvili as extremely frail, arguing that his life was endangered due to his continued opposition to the Russian government. The assertion framed the health crisis within a narrative of political persecution.
The interview was quoted by TVP.info, with Chaladze presenting these claims as part of a broader account of Saakashvili’s current condition and political status.
In Warsaw, Saakashvili was recognized with the annual Promethean Prize during a Promethean Prize Forum hosted by the portal Niezalezna.pl. The laureate, though imprisoned in Georgia, was celebrated in his absence, and his mother, Giulia Alasani, accepted the prize on his behalf. The ceremony highlighted ongoing debates about Saakashvili’s case and the larger geopolitical tensions surrounding Georgia’s post-Soviet trajectory.
Mikheil Saakashvili and his imprisonment in Georgia
Saakashvili led Georgia from 2004 to 2007 and again from 2008 to 2013. His presidency occurred amid a period of conflict with Russia over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and he was widely seen as a Western-leaning leader who advocated for Georgia’s rapprochement with NATO and the European Union.
He did not travel to accept the prize in person because he remains detained in Georgia. He returned to Georgia after eight years of exile and was arrested in October 2021. In 2018, a Georgian court sentenced him in absentia to six years in prison on charges related to abuse of power in the execution of his duties. Saakashvili has consistently denied the allegations, arguing they are politically motivated rather than solely judicial findings.
Reports from late 2021 indicated a hospitalization following a hunger strike and concerns about his health. A December 2022 report by a Georgian NGO focused on the rehabilitation of torture victims noted more than 20 ailments, ten of them serious, and argued that such health problems could complicate his ability to remain in prison. These details fed into ongoing debates about whether Saakashvili should be released for medical treatment abroad.
Despite calls from various quarters to allow medical travel or early release on health grounds, a Tbilisi District Court judge, in February 2022, rejected requests for release or sentence postponement for health reasons. Saakashvili had previously urged permission to travel overseas to obtain proper treatment, with some voices proposing that Polish authorities might assist in facilitating care if allowed by Georgia.
The Intermarium Prize, also known as the Promethean Prize in some circles, was created to recognize diplomatic efforts that foster regional integration and cooperation among the Baltic, Black Sea, and Adriatic regions. The prize’s first edition underscored the complexities of regional security, Western alignment, and post-Soviet reform that have characterized the era.
Related interests persist in political discourse. One report noted Saakashvili’s supporters arguing that Lech Kaczyński’s actions in relation to Georgia were protective, while another reflection framed Poland as a willing ally in supporting political resilience. Yet another source cited officials who discussed potential medical missions and multilateral aid, including involvement from EU member states.
Source attribution: wPolityce