Presidential Pardon for 1,000 Prisoners

President Saakashvili announced on November 14 a presidential pardon for, as he put it, ?petty criminals.?

Nika Gvaramia, the deputy chief prosecutor, later on the same day said the pardon would affect 1,000 inmates.

He also revealed that 2,000 other inmates would have their terms halved or decreased somewhat.

The move comes less than four months after Saakashvili said he would exercise his right of presidential pardon ?in a much more restrictive manner.?

Many commentators have suggested that the pardon is linked to the forthcoming presidential polls. Officials, however, have denied any link.

?This is not related with the upcoming elections,? Levan Bezhashvili, chairman of the parliamentary committee for legal affairs, told the Georgian Public Broadcaster. ?We have been working on the issue for a long time.?

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