President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili declared a moratorium on Pardoning of convicts – President announced about the decision during a news briefing held at Presidential Administration.

“I as President declare a moratorium on pardoning until the rules for pardoning are changed and newly determined,” Zurabishvili said.

President said that she had heard many speculations about interference of certain people in the pardoning procedure including President’s Parliamentary Secretary that was not correct.

Georgia’s President Salome Zurabishvili pardoned Aslan Bezhanidze, a person convicted for the murder committed in 2004. Bezhanidze was detained in 2016. He was wanted for 12 years. Bezhanidze was acquitted based on the decisions of Tbilisi City and Appeals Court. The Supreme Court found Bezhanidze guilty and imposed imprisonment with a term of 6 years and 9 months.

Bezhanidze was released from the penitentiary facility on August 28, Virgin Mary Day. President pardoned 34 prisoners in connection with Virgin Mary Day including a convict charged for the murder of a police officer.

The opposition accuses the president of the demonstration of misbehavior in connection with pardoning of a convict charged for the high-profile murder case of Davit Otkhmezuri, a police officer.  Giga Bokeria, a member of European Georgia Party did not rule out the limitation of functions to president’s institute on September 17.