Federalists’ Chergoleishvili: It is up to each political prisoner to decide whether to seek pardon
“It is up to each political prisoner to decide whether to seek a pardon, and I will not judge them,” Tamar Chergoleishvili, leader of the Federalists party, wrote on social media.
According to Chergoleishvili, all political prisoners detained during protests will be released if they request a pardon.
“Friends, all political prisoners detained during the protests will be released if they request a pardon — the regime has been begging them for months to repent so that they can be released.
“They will not be able to resolve their relations with the West without releasing the political prisoners. The regime has been demanding this for a long time.
“Obviously, it is up to each political prisoner to decide whether to seek a pardon, and I will not judge them — I am simply stating a fact,” Chergoleishvili wrote.
The comments come after President Mikheil Kavelashvili pardoned 226 people on the occasion of the Mariamoba holiday. According to the President’s Administration, the pardon applies to 217 people serving prison sentences and six people serving non-custodial sentences, while three individuals had their criminal convictions expunged. Among those pardoned were also people detained during various protest rallies.