{"id":380252,"date":"2017-12-05T12:16:23","date_gmt":"2017-12-05T12:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=380252"},"modified":"2017-12-05T12:16:23","modified_gmt":"2017-12-05T12:16:23","slug":"chaos-kiev-ex-georgian-president-breaks-free-detention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/12\/chaos-kiev-ex-georgian-president-breaks-free-detention\/","title":{"rendered":"Chaos in Kiev as ex-Georgian president breaks free from detention"},"content":{"rendered":"
Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president of\u00a0Georgia, was involved in a dramatic standoff with Ukrainian law-enforcement on Tuesday, during which he threatened to jump off the roof of his apartment building, was detained, and then broke free.<\/p>\n
Officers from the SBU security services entered Saakashvili\u2019s flat in central Kiev early in the morning, after which he fled to the roof and gave an impassioned speech to supporters gathered below.<\/p>\n
After he was dragged from the rooftop by masked security forces agents, there was a stand-off in central Kiev, as supporters of Saakashvili moved to block the van carrying the politician from leaving the scene. There were clashes and teargas was used as protesters blocked the road for more than an hour. Saakashvili was eventually freed from the van, to cheers.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear exactly what charges, if any, Saakashvili faces. Lawyers close to the politician suggested he may be charged either with supporting criminal groups, or with plotting a coup. There were also suggestions he could be deported to Georgia, where he faces criminal charges he has dismissed as politically motivated. Ukraine\u2019s general prosecutor said on Tuesday afternoon that Saakashvili\u2019s activities in\u00a0Ukraine\u00a0were funded by an ally of deposed president Viktor Yanukovych.<\/p>\n