President Zurabishvili suggests improving rules of pardoning inmates
President Salome Zurabishvili has issued a total of 97 pardons since December 17, 2018, her administration reported. Photo: President's press office
Tweet 
Share
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has made her first official comment on pardoning an individual who has been charged with murdering a police officer.
President Zurabishvili has recently pardoned 34 individuals including Ramaz Devadze, who has been sentenced to 12 years in prison on murder charges of a police officer Tarash Mukbaniani in Georgia’s Black Sea town of Batumi in 2014.
The decision, which Zurabishvili said, was made “sincerely”, under her own responsibility, has been widely criticised by members of opposition and ruling party.
Zurabishvili said yesterday that she is sorry that the act of pardoning, which is a ”human act” in its nature, has become the cause of misunderstanding between her and the rest of the society, instead of leading to “wide public consensus”.
To avoid such cases in future President suggested to accelerate the process of improving the rules of pardoning inmates and to use this right only in exceptional cases, thus to also decrease the possible risks.
President Zurabishvili also reiterated her full respect to the police as “one of the main pillars of the state” and stressed that the country's stability and security is based on “the devotion and dedication” of police officers.