Georgians rally to back jailed ex-president on hunger strike

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Several thousand people have rallied in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, demanding that authorities in the ex-Soviet nation transfer the jailed ex-president to a civilian hospital amid reports that his health is deteriorating after weeks of being on a hunger strike. Mikheil Saakashvili, 53, announced a hunger strike shortly after his arrest last month and has been refusing food for 46 days. His doctors say his health is quickly deteriorating, and his lawyers argue that the prison hospital Saakashvili has been transferred to lacks security and necessary equipment. Saakashvili’s supporters have been holding daily rallies, calling for his transfer from the prison hospital. Georgia’s penitentiary service said Monday that Saakashvili’s life is not under threat.