President, Minister of Corrections create working group to eradicate pardon-related drawbacks

The Georgian President  Giorgi  Margvelashvili and Minister of Corrections  Kakha Kakhishvili have met today and agreed to create a working group, involving the president’s and ministry staff to eradicate the shortcomings in the existing pardon procedure. 

The statement came after Margvelashvili’s announcement over the temporary suspension of pardons for convicts accused of violent crimes, as on April 13 a man, who was pardoned by the president last year, brutally killed his step daughter.

The working group is meant to prevent unfavorable or tragic incidents which might take place after an individual is pardoned,” Head of President’s Administration Giorgi Abashishvili stated.

The minister had a very interesting vision of how the pardon procedure can be refined,” Abashishvili added.

The president is the only authorised official in Georgia who can pardon prisoners. Applications for pardon are discussed by the President’s Pardon Commission, which later recommends the president inmates who deserve to be pardoned.