In his first public appearance following his surprise return to the country, arrest, and hunger strike, the ex-president brushed off the charges against him and issued an expansive defense of his time in power.
The dispute over where the former Georgian president should be treated became sharper as he briefly lost consciousness as a result of his hunger strike.
Georgia’s former president will soon face trial for a variety of charges connected to his time in office. But there is widespread concern the proceedings will be more about politics than justice.