Interior Ministry criticizes President Saakashvili for amnesty

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs is seriously concerned by the Presidents act of granting amnesty to the people accused of especially grave crimes, Nino Giorgobiani, spokesperson of the ministry, says.

According to her, in the list of the amnestied people, there are:

• 15 accused of attempted murder
• 4 accused of murder
• 32 accused of robbery
• 70 accused of drug-related crime
• 27 accused of theft
• 36 accused of sacking
• 6 accused of a white-collar-crime

24 more people accused of different crimes, such as holding hostages, hooliganism, contraband, illegal border crossing, etc. Most of them had been accused in more than one criminal case.

"This amnesty act is categorically unacceptable for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Presidents decision is utterly irresponsible because the overwhelming majority of the amnestied people had been accused of an especially grave crime. I want to remind people that during the last year, president has already granted amnesty to 2,204 people, out of whom 240 people were arrested again for repeating their crime, Giorgobiani said.

The head of the amnesty commission, Elene Tevdoradze, said that the president added more than 72 people to the list the commission sent him.

"I have no idea who these people are. Of course, the president has the right to grant amnesty when he thinks its needed, but in this case, I do think that his decision was politically motivated, Tevdoradze said.