President of Georgia pardons 238 prisoners

President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili has signed a decree on pardoning 238 prisoners. As reported at today's press conference by Dmitri Shashkin, Minister of Punishment Enforcement, Probation and Legal Aid, 169 prisoners will be set free.

According to Mr Shashkin, the pardoned 169 persons will get at large, most likely, tomorrow, on August 29, after prisons receive official documents from the President's administration. The custody term for the other 69 inmates will be halved, the Minister has added.

The prisoners to be released by the President include the minors, who have successfully passed this year's United State Exams and were enrolled by higher schools.

According to the Minister, 195 persons were early released in August. The "Georgia Today" reports that the same action is planned in September.

The list of inmates, recommended for pardoning, was presented to the President by the Pardon Commission, Patriarchy and Prosecutor's Office. The "Georgia Online" adds that in September a new commission on conditional early relief (CER) will be set up.

The today's pardon is dated to the Assumption of the Virgin (Mariamoba) holiday, as reported by the "InterpressNews" Agency.