Protesters gather in Georgia for jailed ex-president Saakashvili

Hundreds of protesters are rallying outside a prison in Georgia to demand that the country’s incarcerated former President Mikheil Saakashvili be transferred to a private clinic because he is weakening while on a hunger strike.

Saakashvili declared the hunger strike hours after being placed in the prison in Rustavi, 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of the capital Tbilisi on Oct. 1.

He was arrested that day after returning to Georgia from his home in Ukraine aiming to bolster opposition forces ahead of nationwide municipal elections.

Sign up to our free newsletters by clicking here