Prepared by Messenger Staff
Saakashvili Confronts Former PM Noghaideli in Tense Court Hearing
A heated confrontation broke out in court on April 6th, between imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and former Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli. The clash occurred during Saakashvili's trial involving the November 7, 2007, crackdown on protesters and the raid on Imedi TV.
The atmosphere turned volatile when Saakashvili called Noghaideli a "traitor" for his past meetings with Vladimir Putin. Saakashvili questioned the former Prime Minister's motives for traveling to Russia following the annexation of Georgian territories, asking if he went to "bow to the enemy." Noghaideli retorted by questioning Saakashvili's own actions, leading to a shouting match that required intervention from court bailiffs.
During his testimony, Noghaideli addressed Saakashvili's claims regarding the influence of late tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, acknowledging that "we all knew Patarkatsishvili was connected to Russia." Saakashvili countered by alleging that Imedi TV was founded with Russian money and managed by security personnel linked to the FSB.
Saakashvili eventually stormed out of the courtroom, dismissing the proceedings as a "fake court organized by Russia." The presiding judges warned that the hearing would be closed to the public if order was not maintained.
Saakashvili faces charges of abuse of official authority, which carries a potential prison sentence of five to eight years. Other former high ranking officials, including Vano Merabishvili and Gigi Ugulava, remain co-defendants in the case.
UNM Chair Denounces 'Disinformation' Over Saakashvili's Absence from Political Prisoner List
Tina Bokuchava, Chair of the United National Movement (UNM), has dismissed reports that Mikheil Saakashvili was excluded from a list of political prisoners prepared by the Opposition Alliance. Calling the claims "disinformation," Bokuchava clarified that the document in question was compiled by private activists and has since been updated to include the former president's name.
Bokuchava argued that the controversy was a deliberate attempt to sow distrust among UNM supporters and fracture the unity of democratic forces. She emphasized that Saakashvili's status as a "political prisoner" and "Putin's personal prisoner" has been recognized internationally, including through multiple European Parliament resolutions.
"The civilized world understands well the context of why the third president of Georgia is Putin's personal prisoner," Bokuchava wrote on social media. She warned that such "hype" only serves the interests of Bidzina Ivanishvili's "Russian regime," which she claims fears a unified opposition above all else.
