Georgian Parliament official: Georgian President showed humanity by pardoning individuals who admitted crimes and repented

Archil Gorduladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, said on Friday that Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili had shown humanity toward individuals who had acknowledged their actions, repented for their crimes and appealed to the President for a pardon.

Gorduladze’s comments came after President Kavelashvili pardoned 226 individuals on Thursday on the occasion of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

He said the authorities had repeatedly stated that if a person acknowledged their crime and repented for their actions, the state would treat them humanely.

“On numerous occasions, the state, including law enforcement agencies and, specifically, the Prosecutor’s Office, has stated that if a person acknowledges their crime and repents for their actions, the state will treat them humanely”, he said.

“The same applies in this case, when the President exercised his exclusive authority. Individuals who acknowledged their actions, repented for their crimes and appealed to the President for a pardon were treated humanely by the President and, accordingly, the pardon power was exercised”, Gorduladze concluded.