The former president of Georgia,

Mikheil Saakashvili

, has announced his third hunger strike since his arrest, protesting against the court's refusal to join him via video link to the court session.

On December 14, the Tbilisi City Court again postponed consideration of the motion to postpone Saakashvili's sentence due to health reasons.

The Special Penitentiary Service stated that they could not ensure the remote activation of Saakashvili for technical reasons.

As the "Echo of the Caucasus" website reported,

Shalva Khachapuridze

, Saakashvili's lawyer, after meeting with him in the Tbilisi "Vivamedi" clinic, read the politician's letter.

"I will starve until I have firm assurances that I will be able to connect to my own process, at least via video link.

There is a limit to all mockery and humiliation," Saakashvili said.

Mikheil Saakashvili has been in a Tbilisi hospital for several months, where he was transferred after two hunger strikes.

The family and lawyers have stated that his health is deteriorating, but the authorities insist that there is no cause for alarm, as Saakashvili is allegedly receiving all the necessary treatment.

On December 13, Georgian Justice Minister

Rati Bregadze

announced his intention to publish "certain footage" if the "simulation campaign" about Saakashvili's critical state of health does not stop.

Earlier, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia reported that Mikheil Saakashvili was banned from smoking electronic cigarettes.

His lawyer called it "an example of inhuman treatment", because Saakashvili used electronic cigarettes without nicotine.

Saakashvili, who returned to Georgia in 2021, was arrested and remains in custody.

A court case is pending against him.

In 2018, the former president of Georgia was twice sentenced in absentia to six years and three years of imprisonment under the article of the Criminal Code of Georgia on "abuse of official authority or abuse of official position".



In February of this year, Saakashvili stated in court that during the years of governing Georgia (2004-2013), he secretly flew to London and met with

Alexander Lukashenko

so that he would not recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.