I want to say something about Mikheil Saakashvili. We do not know each other and have never met. I do not know anyone on his team, and no one asked me to write this post. To my shame, I have only a limited understanding of Georgian politics and may get something wrong. To my even greater shame, back in 2008, influenced by the fact that a friend of mine was under shelling in Tskhinvali (the main city of South Ossetia), I wrote a post using an insulting epithet about Georgians. I apologized for that then, and I apologize again now, but I know that because of this, my opinion does not carry much weight in Georgia. Even so, I still decided to write this as a human being and as a Christian, because it is hard to watch. Saakashvili is suffering, his family is suffering, and all of Georgia is suffering because of what is happening, and there is nothing good in this even for those who would like to keep Saakashvili in prison until he dies. I believe in a happy European future for Georgia. It is a wonderful country with everything it needs to prosper. I believe that this political confrontation—and where does it not exist?—will be resolved peacefully and successfully. But this imprisonment and torment of a former president is horrific and heartless. It strikes at Georgia’s European choice, it strikes at development, it lowers the chances of a normal future. It lowers morale and fills the country with bitterness. It is clear that this confrontation is fierce and deeply emotional. I have no doubt that Saakashvili’s opponents have plenty to hold against him and plenty they may want revenge for. That is exactly what I want to speak about. And I want to appeal to anyone who may hear this: do not take revenge, however much you may want to. All of Georgia will suffer from that revenge. It is a dead-end decision, strategically harmful to everyone. And cruel. As usual, it has all come down to everyone wanting to save face. Everyone wants to show that they were not forced into anything—on the contrary, that they forced everyone else to bend. But those in power must be more merciful than their opponents. Because they are the ones in power. Saakashvili is very ill, and all the talk about him faking it is nonsense. Believe me, prison drains anyone’s health, and very quickly. Releasing him for medical treatment with a stay of sentence, or doing something of that kind that would allow all sides to uphold the law and save face, would be the right thing to do. _________________ It is now Holy Week, and then Easter will follow. This is a good time for a difficult but compassionate act for the benefit of the country and a step toward national reconciliation. I call on the authorities of Georgia and all opponents of Mikheil Saakashvili to take this step in the spirit of Christian mercy and peacemaking. I am confident that he will be released.