Georgians vote in local election after arrest of ex-president

FILE PHOTO: Georgia's former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was detained after returning to the country, is escorted by police officers as he arrives at a prison in Rustavi, Georgia October 1, 2021, in this still image taken from video. Georgian Interior Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Georgians vote in local elections on Saturday that could escalate a political standoff between the ruling party and the opposition a day after the arrest of ex-president and opposition politician Mikheil Saakashvili.

Saakashvili, who left Georgia in 2013 and was sentenced to prison in absentia in 2018, was arrested https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/georgian-ex-leader-says-he-is-back-home-despite-jail-threat-authorities-deny-2021-10-01 on Friday after he returned to Georgia and called on his supporters to vote for the opposition and stage a post-election street protest.