Political Turmoil: Saakashvili's Continued Legal Battle

Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili has been sentenced to nine more years in prison for embezzlement. Saakashvili, who led Georgia from 2004 to 2013, returned to his country in 2021, was arrested, and has often been a divisive figure due to his western-oriented reforms and controversial tenure.

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili received an additional nine-year prison sentence on embezzlement charges, according to the Interpress news agency. The verdict, announced Wednesday, intensifies the political strife surrounding the leader who was previously jailed for six years for abuse of power after returning to Georgia in 2021.

Saakashvili's rule, from 2004 to 2013, saw Georgia's alignment shift westward through significant public sector reforms. However, his presidency remains controversial, marred by accusations of authoritarianism and a costly conflict with Russia in 2008. His supporters criticized the recent verdict, calling the presiding judge a "slave" of the current administration.

After his presidency, Saakashvili moved to Ukraine and served as governor of Odesa. Despite a conviction in absentia on power abuse charges, he returned to Georgia only to be imprisoned. His saga reflects ongoing tensions within the nation, with Georgian politics still influenced by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who defeated Saakashvili's party in 2012.

(With inputs from agencies.)