Georgian president issues first pardon, three women released from prison

The president is the only authorised person in Georgia who can pardon inmates. Photo: Salome Zurabishvili’s press office.

Agenda.ge, 02 Jan 2019 - 23:02, Tbilisi,Georgia

The first female president of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has issued her first pardon decree, releasing three female inmates.

The president’s administration has reported that one of the women is pregnant, another has an underage child and the third is a mother of three children.

Zurabishvili says that she may change several members of the Pardon Commission in the coming days.

The President’s Pardon Commission is composed of 11 individuals, mainly lawyers from the civil sector, public figures, the Public Defender and a spiritual representative from Georgia’s Patriarchate.

The group must discuss all cases sent to the Pardon Commission by inmates or their families and decide which prisoners they believe deserve to be pardoned. The list then is sent to the president.