Nika Melia, the chairman of the United National Movement, has left the 12th penitentiary facility in Rustavi.

Representatives and supporters of the United National Movement greeted Melia's release with applause.

The decision to release Nika Melia from prison was recently made by the Tbilisi City Court. According to the decision of Tbilisi City Court Judge Nino Chakhnashvili, the measure of restraint imposed on Nika Melia was changed to 40,000 GEL bail.

Defendant Nika Melia himself was not present at the hearing, as he had been expelled from the courtroom during the previous trial for disrespect for the court.

The court was appealed by the prosecutor's office to change the measure of restraint imposed on Melia. The prosecution demanded that Nika Melia be released on bail of 40,000 GEL as a measure of restraint, while the defense side demanded that Nika Melia be released without a restraining order.

Nika Melia's bail - 40 000 GEL was paid by the European Union on May 8. The funds were made available by European Endowment for Democracy and handed over to the authorities by the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association.