Government is 'doing everything' needed for Mikheil Saakashvili

The ruling Georgian Dream party insists Mr Saakashvili must serve his sentence and is receiving enough care. Authorities say his health problems are caused by his refusal to eat enough food.

"We do hope that it (his death) will not happen and his needs are properly addressed," Georgian Dream MP Maka Botchorishvili told Sky News.

"We do believe that the government is doing everything that Saakashvili as a prisoner in Georgia has absolute rights to," she said during an interview in Tbilisi.

"Whatever he needs it is done, health-wise... and needs that are there."