Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that there are no plans to pardon individuals detained during protests.
He made the remarks on Rustavi 2.
“I can say clearly that we have no such plan. I want to recall that in 2023, during one major incident of violence, only one person was detained, and that person was quickly pardoned by the then-president. The following year, during another major incident, six people were detained, and if I remember correctly, the then-president pardoned 12 people, which had a very negative effect. People saw that they could set the city on fire, set the parliament building on fire, attack police, throw stones, injure law enforcement officers, damage state property, burn cars, damage the parliament, and not face punishment. The first case involved one person, the next six, and it created a sense of impunity, which encouraged others to commit crimes and then be released after detention.
To ensure a preventive effect and discourage future crimes, it is naturally important that sentences are properly served. This is our position. No one is happy about anyone being in prison. Any imprisonment, regardless of the crime politically motivated acts, murder, or negligence leading to death in a car accident is a tragedy. But we must focus on prevention, and the best way to prevent future crimes is for convicted individuals to properly serve their sentences,” Kobakhidze said.
Prisoners of conscience detained during pro-European protests in November and December of last year say they have been told about possible pardons, which they categorically refuse.