**Former President Saakashvili Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison**
The Tbilisi City Court has sentenced former President Mikheil Saakashvili to nine years in prison. He was accused of embezzling 9 million GEL from the state budget.
Saakashvili did not attend the hearing. He claims he is innocent of the charges presented against him.
**Criticism From Opposition**
A member of the opposition party, Irakli Pavlenishvili, has criticized the decision. He says Bidzina Ivanishvili, a businessman and politician, is trying to keep Saakashvili in prison. Pavlenishvili claims that Ivanishvili has a “panicked fear” of Saakashvili.
Pavlenishvili also questioned the sentence against Teimuraz Janashia, the head of the Society for a Healthy Georgia (SDS). Janashia was fined 300,000 GEL. Pavlenishvili says this decision is also illegal.
**Janashia’s Sentence**
The prosecution accused Saakashvili and Janashia of working together to embezzle state funds. The defendants deny the charges.
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