On October 1, the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party held a rally in Tbilisi calling for the release of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. The gathering took place at the Rike Park amphitheater, despite a ban issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs due to preparations for the "Tbilisoba" festival. Several dozen people assembled at the site.

One banner featured images of Saakashvili and U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by the inscription: "Mr. Trump, the Georgian people demand the adoption of the MEGOBARI Act."

Lasha Parulava, a UNM leader who spoke at the rally, described the choice of Rike Park as symbolic. He stated that under Saakashvili, the area had been "returned to the people," whereas under Bidzina Ivanishvili, it had once again fallen into the hands of "oligarchs."

Another party representative, Ana Tsitlidze, noted that Saakashvili has been imprisoned for exactly five years; she accused the authorities of attempting to destroy the legacy of his rule and the "Rose Revolution." She also designated several of Saakashvili’s associates—including Levan Khabeishvili, Irakli Nadiradze, Giorgi Baramidze, Bacho Akhalaia, and Zviad Kuprava—as political prisoners.

Irakli Pavlenishvili, head of the UNM’s interim steering council, rejected the characterization of Saakashvili’s tenure as the "bloody nine years"—a label frequently used by representatives of the ruling "Georgian Dream" party. He countered that these were, in fact, "nine years of construction, the establishment of order, and the country's dynamic development." The Ministry of Internal Affairs had previously stated that the END’s notification regarding the rally did not comply with legal requirements and that Rike Park and Europe Square were being used for preparations for the "Tbilisoba" events scheduled for October 3–4. The agency proposed changing the rally's location or time; twenty minutes before it began, it urged participants not to interfere with preparatory work or approach the "Rike Jugs" due to heightened safety risks. Ultimately, the rally took place without incident in the park's amphitheater.

Saakashvili secretly returned to Georgia in late September 2021 after spending several years abroad. He was detained on October 1—the day of the municipal elections—and has remained in custody ever since. In March 2025, a court added four and a half years to his sentence for illegal border crossing. Taking into account previously handed-down sentences, his release is expected in 2034.

In a resolution adopted in March 2026, the European Parliament described Saakashvili as a political hostage and expressed concern over his prolonged detention. Within Georgia, some opposition groups and human rights organizations also view his case as politically motivated.

In addition to the cases that have already concluded, Saakashvili remains a defendant in the so-called "sabotage case" brought against eight opposition politicians. He has been charged with publicly calling for the violent alteration of the constitutional order or the overthrow of the government; the other defendants face charges including sabotage and aiding the activities of a foreign state. Legal proceedings are ongoing. A separate case is proceeding regarding the dispersal of the November 7, 2007, protest and the seizure of the Imedi TV company. Saakashvili is a defendant in this case alongside former high-ranking officials Gigi Ugulava, David Kezerashvili, and Zurab Adeishvili. At a recent hearing, the former president expressed his support for Ukraine by singing its national anthem.