President on Pardoning Detained Archbishop

President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has responded to the Holy Synod’s decision to mediate and ask her to Pardon detained Archpriest Giorgi Mamaladze, who was detained in September 2017 for allegedly plotting the murder of a high-ranking clergy member of the Georgian Orthodox Church and sentenced to 9 years imprisonment hsving been found guilty by the Tbilisi City Court. 

“The Holy Synod expressed its opinion. Now, let me think and make a decision,” she said, adding that the issue is sensitive for the population of the country.

“I have already said that this is a very sensitive issue for the whole Georgian society. Everyone has their own decision as to whether I should pardon him or not. No decision has been made yet. When I will decide on the above, I will inform the media and the public,” she told reporters.  

The Holy Synod decided to mediate and ask the President to pardon the detained archpriest after the meeting held on October 30 at the Patriarchate of Georgia.

By Ana Dumbadze

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