OSCE PA President: They are in prison because were engaged in political activity, gov’t should consider releasing those who served half sentence

“We requested the right to visit prisoners, especially to meet with the Sakharov Prize laureate  [Mzia Amaglobeli]. We conveyed this request to the Prime Minister, the President, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Speaker of Parliament. The answer was negative. We accept it,” Pere Joan Pons Sampietro, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, stated.

Responding to a journalist’s question about the seriousness of the situation in the country and whether recently adopted laws restrict freedom of speech, he noted that some parties believe the situation has not improved compared to 2024.

“Today we heard from some parties that the situation has not improved compared to 2024, at least. We told the Prime Minister and the Speaker of Parliament that one of the steps they should take is to discuss the issue of releasing prisoners who have served more than 50 percent of their sentences,” he said.

When asked whether the detainees were political prisoners, Pons Sampietro stated that it was not his role to make such a determination.

“It is not my role to say whether they are political prisoners or not. I can say that they are in prison because they were engaged in political activity,” he noted.

He added that the delegation participated in dialogue involving representatives of the government, opposition parties and civil society. According to him, the Assembly believes that broader political dialogue is necessary, especially in the context of discussions related to European Union membership.

“We believe that if you are going to have negotiations on EU membership, political negotiations are necessary. The situation we have experienced today obliges us to tell the authorities that they should take this into account,” the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said.