President Margvelashvili Pardons 157 Prisoners

President Giorgi Margvelashvili granted amnesty to 157 inmates. The head of the pardoning commission, Zviad Koridze, said that only 93 of those will actually leave the prisons at this point, while the other 64 will likely have their sentences reduced. Among the pardoned prisoners are six women and one minor.

Koridze said the decision was made during the Pardoning Commission’s February session, held on February 16-21. A total of 890 cases were discussed.

The president’s pardoning commission is composed of ten people, mostly lawyers from the civil sector and public figures, in addition to the public defender and the Georgian Patriarchate. The commission discusses all cases sent before it by inmates or their families, and makes the initial decision about which prisoners might deserve a pardon. That list is then sent to the President for approval. The president himself is the only person authorized to grant pardons in Georgia.

By Thea Morrison