The convicted person is released from a correctional facility on the day before the completion of their sentence. The law does not require prior notification or any form of agreement regarding the exact time of release. Therefore, claims that he was informed several days in advance about the specific release time are false, the Special Penitentiary Service said in a statement regarding the release of Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the “Coalition for Change.”

According to the statement, Japaridze was released in full compliance with the Penal Code and the institution’s regulations, at approximately 8:30 a.m.

“The Special Penitentiary Service responds to the speculative information circulating regarding the release of the convicted Zurab ‘Girchi’ Japaridze. According to legislation, a convicted person is released from a correctional facility the day before the completion of their sentence. Upon release, the individual is returned their personal belongings, clothing, and shoes that were kept in the facility. Zurab Japaridze also took his personal clothing when leaving the institution. The law does not provide for prior notification or any form of agreement with the convicted person regarding the exact release time. Therefore, it is unclear what the convicted person’s expectation was that he would leave the facility at 10:30 a.m. Japaridze’s claim that he was informed several days in advance of the specific release time is false.

According to the facility’s daily schedule, work begins at 8:00 a.m. Resolving formal matters related to Japaridze’s release required a short amount of time, and he was released in full compliance with the Penal Code and institutional requirements at approximately 8:30 a.m. The Special Penitentiary Service urges everyone to refrain from spreading statements that do not correspond to reality and aim to discredit the work of the service in any way,” the statement said.

For context, Zurab Japaridze left the correctional facility today after serving a seven-month sentence. He stated that, based on information he received several days ago, he expected to leave the facility at around 10:30 a.m., which was when his family and friends planned to arrive. However, he was released at 8:00 a.m., and an unknown taxi driver waiting outside the facility helped him contact his family.

“A few days ago, I asked what time I would be released, and I was told I should be there at 10:30 a.m. But it happened that I was released at 8:00 a.m. in the morning. They didn’t explain anything; they just told me to pack everything and leave. I didn’t have anything to pack and was only in a T-shirt. Yesterday, they were supposed to send a jacket, but they didn’t allow it because it was too thick and didn’t meet the standards. I was released at 8:00 a.m. in a T-shirt. There was a taxi waiting, and I called Nata from that phone to say I was outside. Then a friend picked me up. There was no one outside, it was completely empty, and for about an hour, maybe 40 minutes, I couldn’t reach anyone to say I was outside,” Japaridze said.