President of Georgia pardons 246 prisoners

On December 31, 2008, President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili signed a decree on releasing 246 prisoners.

In particular, the regular pre-New Year amnesty assumes release of former officials convicted for excess of authority or taking bribes. The pardon will not cover those prisoners accused of grave crimes, the "Georgia Today" reports.

In total in the republic, after November 24 last year, some 400 prisoners were pardoned, and on the basis of the decree adopted by the parliament, over 12,000 prisoners and persons under investigation were amnestied, the "Interfax" reports.

On December 17, in the context of the respected in Georgia religious holiday "Barbaroba" - the Day of Saint Barbara, 1280 persons were released.

On November 21, the parliament of Georgia adopted the Law "On Amnesty" in the third and final reading; it assumes release of over 2000 inmates from Georgian prisons. The amnesty will cover those accused under the articles of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which do not assume grave crimes.

Representative of the party in power and parliamentary minority believe that it is the most large-scale amnesty undertaken in recent years. In their turn, representatives of non-parliamentary oppositional parties declare that the amnesty bill was drafted without their participation and will not touch political prisoners.