The European Parliament has released a resolution demanding the Georgian authorities to release ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili from jail.

The resolution says that "for humanitarian reasons and to reduce political polarization," ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili should be released and "allowed to undergo proper treatment abroad," DW reported.

The resolution was supported by 577 deputies, 33 were against and 26 abstained, Novosti-Gruzia reports.

MEPs note that "constant failures to improve the condition of the former president" create a risk of delaying the prospects of Georgia's candidacy for EU membership, and the country's treatment of prisoners such as the former president is a litmus test of commitment to European values and its stated European aspirations, including EU candidate status.

The amendment calls for sanctions against the founder of Georgia's ruling party, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. The document highlights Ivanishvili's role in the arrest of the former president "as part of a personal vendetta."

Mikhail Saakashvili was detained in the fall of 2021 when he illegally crossed the border and returned to Georgia. In custody, his health condition deteriorated.