19:00, 22 November 2012

519 prisoners pardoned in Georgia

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has pardoned 519 prisoners in connection with the Orthodox feast of the Saint George's Day. This was reported by Elena Tevdoradze, Chairman of the State Pardon Commission.

Members of the Georgian Pardon Commission considered about 1400 cases and issued recommendations for pardoning for about 700 of them. The recommendations for pardoning to be presented to President Mikhail Saakashvili were also prepared by the Patriarchate of Georgia and the Chief Prosecutor's Office.

This morning, the decree to pardon prisoners has been signed in connection with the Saint George's Day, which is celebrated on November 23.

Sentences of 50 out of 519 pardoned prisoners were shortened by half, and the rest pardoned prisoners will be released from prisons, the "News-Georgia" reports.

The list of pardoned prisoners includes 43 women; at the same time, it does not include juvenile prisoners, the "Georgia Online" reports.