Georgia’s third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, has spoken out against labeling former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili a "political prisoner." In a social media post, he outlined his position while also criticizing opposition politicians who have discussed the possibility of aligning themselves with the former head of government.

"Prior to his arrest, he never expressed an opinion that differed from those of Ivanishvili and his party; therefore, he would not—and could not—have been imprisoned for political reasons," Saakashvili wrote.

He further alleged that during his time in power, Garibashvili was involved in serious crimes—matters that, according to Saakashvili, are known to the public at large.

"Ultimately, Garibashvili was never a politician—he was always a representative of a criminal organization," the former president asserted.

Saakashvili also addressed opposition figures who, in his view, hope to bring Garibashvili into a political partnership, drawn by his perceived financial resources and influence over a segment of the ruling "Georgian Dream" party’s base.

"Not only is such an approach entirely immoral, but it is also completely impractical," he wrote.

Concluding his post, Saakashvili compared a potential alliance with Garibashvili to an alliance with another former Georgian prime minister, Nika Gilauri: "Seeking to distance oneself from Misha while entering into a pact with Garibashvili is a thousand times worse than an alliance with Gilauri."