The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is disappointed with the Tbilisi City Court that has dismissed the claim of Mikheil Saakashvili's defence of postponement or exemption from punishment due to his serious health condition.

As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine points out, the court disregarded the doctors' conclusion about the severity of Saakashvili's disease. It also refused to send him abroad for treatment.

"The Georgian authorities should immediately stop settling political disputes with the Ukrainian citizen, guarantee his rights, and send him to Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will continue to protect the interests of Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili, who should be released," the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

On February 6, the city court of Tbilisi disregarded the request of the lawyers of the imprisoned ex-president of Georgia and citizen of Ukraine Saakashvili for early release due to his health condition.

Lawyers tried to argue that Saakashvili's life depended on this decision. Saakashvili himself was not present even remotely due to his weak health.

Last week, Saakashvili showed in court how he lost weight during his imprisonment. After that, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accused the Georgian authorities of "torturing and killing" Saakashvili. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protested the inhumane treatment of Saakashvili and demanded his handover to Kyiv.

The Verkhovna Rada has prepared an appeal calling for Saakashvili treatment abroad.