Papuashvili Accuses TI Georgia of Seeking Saakashvili's Release
By Messenger Staff
Monday, September 28, 2026
Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has accused Transparency International Georgia of seeking to secure former President Mikheil Saakashvili's release by listing him as a political prisoner, while questioning the organization's sources of funding.
Papuashvili described the NGO's assessment as part of what he called a broader "hostile campaign against Georgia." He called for the organization's sources of funding to be established and alleged, without providing evidence, that foreign intelligence services could be involved.
His comments came after Transparency International Georgia announced that Saakashvili would be included on its list of political prisoners. The organization said Saakashvili's lawyer had submitted materials in July concerning several criminal cases, including the so-called "jackets" case, the border-crossing case and the Imedi TV case.
Transparency International Georgia said it considers Saakashvili's conviction in the "jackets" case unfounded and unjust, and the ongoing proceedings against him politically motivated. It said Saakashvili meets four of the five criteria for political prisoners set out in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Resolution 1900.
Papuashvili also revisited previous international pressure over Saakashvili's health and detention, claiming that European officials had warned that the former president was close to death and had urged authorities to transfer him to EU representatives. He said subsequent developments contradicted those warnings, including Saakashvili subsequently fathering a child while in detention.
He also criticized the involvement of a Polish doctor in Saakashvili's case, referring to a Polish doctor who traveled to Georgia to examine the former president.
"The person compiling this list, Eka Gigauri, is a very minor figure in this story. What is important is who is financing it; this must be established," Papuashvili said.
Transparency International Georgia, meanwhile, said Saakashvili's nine-year sentence in the "jackets" case is disproportionate and contrary to fundamental principles governing criminal liability and sentencing.
