The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly protests against the inhumane treatment of Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili and demands his handover to Kyiv.

"In the worst traditions of the NKVD of the USSR, the Georgian authorities are using psychological and physical violence against Mikheil Saakashvili, denying him urgently needed medical care, deliberately creating a direct threat to his life. The gross violation of human rights against a Ukrainian citizen does not coincide with the declared course of Tbilisi to join the EU, indicating the collapse of democracy in Georgia," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on the Georgian authorities to stop torturing and bullying Saakashvili and hand him over to Ukraine.

"Do not play with a person's life for political revenge," the Ministry added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on foreign governments and international organisations to stand publicly in defence of the Ukrainian citizen, the former president of Georgia. His life was in danger due to political repression by the Georgian authorities.

On February 1, at a press conference with his Austrian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed photos of Saakashvili and accused the Georgian authorities of publicly torturing and killing him.

Prisoner Saakashvili showed how he lost weight during his imprisonment at the court hearing where the lawyers requested his release due to his health state.

He also stated that he was tortured and poisoned in prison.