President pardons 57 prisoners
It might be the last pardon made by President Giorgi Margvelashvili as presidents are allowed to pardon prisoners until the inauguration of a new president. Photo: President’s press office.
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Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, whose presidential term expires this week, has pardoned 57 convicts, head of the President’s Pardon Commission Zviad Koridze stated today.
Koridze said that 30 inmates have been released, while remaining 27 have seen their prison terms commuted.
The Pardon Commission discussed 575 cases between 22 and 24 October and sent its recommendations to the president, who is the only authorised official in Georgia who is allowed by the law to pardon prisoners.
The President’s Pardon Commission is composed of ten people including its head Koridze.
The commission members are 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.
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili pardoned 831 prisoners in 2017. Out of the pardoned people 539 were released immediately, while the remaining 291 saw their sentence terms commuted.
154 inmates walk free, 72 have prison terms reduced
More than 150 inmates will spend the hot days of August, and the rest of their lives, with their families and loved one following their release from prison after the President’s pardon today.
Today the President of Georgia pardoned 238 prisoners, but not all of these inmates will be released from jail.
The President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili has pardoned 98 people serving sentences in Georgia’s prisons.
The First female President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has issued her first pardon decree and has pardoned three female inmates.
Head of the President’s Pardon Commission Zviad Koridze has left the post and several members of the commission, who served in the role under former President Giorgi Margvelashvili, did so.
Eight prisoners left the penitentiary facilities immediately on May 24. The other four, including a female, were on probation and have been released from all restrictions.