12:00, 20 November 2010

President of Georgia to pardon 23 prisoners

The Georgian State Commission on Pardons has prepared a pardon list for President Mikhail Saakashvili. The pardon will be dated to November 23 - one of the most popular national holidays of Georgia - Giorgoba (St George's Day).

According to Marika Verulashvili, a member of the above commission and of the parliamentary committee on human rights, there are one minor and one woman on the pardon list.

A total of 236 cases were reviewed. The cases of selected prisoners will be sent to the President, who will make the final decision on amnesty, the "Georgia Online" reports.

Eka Beseliya, leader of the public organization "Solidarity with Illegal Prisoners", called the Pardon Commission to give amnesty recommendations to the maximum possible number of prisoners. Activists of her organization believe that in parallel to consideration of applications, the commission should keep in mind that health condition of the majority of prisoners is grave, the "News-Georgia" reports.