Jailed father pardoned to be with flood-affected family

A man serving a light sentence has been pardoned by the President of Georgia so he can be with his family as they recover from the destructive flood that hit Tbilisi on the weekend.

The man, who was not identified, was behind bars when the flood devastated his family home.

Not long after the tragedy Georgia’s Minister of Corrections Giorgi Mgebrishvili granted the man temporary release so he could visit his wife and children, who had suffered in Saturday night’s natural disaster.

The family lost their home in the tragedy. They were one of 80 families who were given temporary accommodation.

After the emotional meeting, the Corrections Minister and the Prime Minister of Georgia addressed Georgia’s President and asked him to pardon the prisoner so he could be with his family as they recovered from their loss.

This plea was granted and the Ministry today confirmed the man had been released and was now with his family.

The Ministry said the inmate was serving a one-year prison term for minor offending.