Opposition leaders Mamuka Khazaradze, Badri Japaridze released after presidential pardon

Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, the leaders of the opposition Strong Georgia-Lelo party, on Friday left the penitentiary institution following a pardon granted by the Georgian President Mikheil Khavelashvili.

The two politicians had been detained on June 23 in their office and sentenced to eight months in prison. They faced charges under Article 349 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which concerns “failure to comply with the request of a temporary investigative commission of the Parliament of Georgia”.

Both Khazaradze and Japaridze had earlier posted bail of 50,000 GEL each, unlike several other opposition politicians in similar cases.