President Zurabishvili pardons 19 inmates for Easter holiday

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has pardoned 19 convicts for the Easter holiday, the head of the President’s Administration Lasha Zhvania stated.

They will leave prison today," Zhvania said. 

The president also pardoned 23 individuals who were on parole.

21 of the 23 on parole have been freed from all restrictions,” Zhvania said.

Two of the prisoners pardoned were women, who will leave prison later today.

Zurabishvili issued her first pardon decree in January, shortly after her election to the post in November 2018.

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 for confirmation.

During her first speech in parliament in March 2019 Zurabishvili said that the Pardon Commission, which is now subordinated to the president, may move under the control of the Ministry of Justice, with more state agencies involved in the discussion of applications for pardon.

She said that the president will make a final decision on pardon.