U.S. urges fair treatment for Georgia's Saakashvili
Georgia's former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was detained after returning to the country, is escorted by police officers as he arrives at a prison in Rustavi, Georgia October 1, 2021, in this still image taken from video. Georgian Interior Ministry/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
WASHINGTON, Oct 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Monday it is following developments in Georgia closely and urged the country to ensure detained former president Mikheil Saakashvili is treated fairly.
Georgia's ruling party won a commanding lead in a municipal election held a day after the arrest of Saakashvili, who had returned from exile to support the opposition. read more
"We're following developments very closely," U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told a regular news briefing. "We urge Georgian authorities to ensure that Mr Saakashvili is afforded fair treatment in accordance with Georgian law, and Georgia's international human rights commitments and obligations."
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Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
