The leader of “Lelo – Strong Georgia,” Irakli Kupradze, wrote on social media that the manner in which Zurab “Girchi” Japaridze was released from prison demonstrates the cowardice of a sadistic regime.

According to Kupradze, “the autocratic regime is trying to intimidate the Georgian people because it is itself afraid.”

“I congratulate Zura on his release from captivity. I congratulate your family and your children.

As for the way Zurab ‘Girchi’ Japaridze was released from prison, this is a demonstration of the cowardice of a sadistic regime. A frightened Russian is capable of anything, and today we saw this once again.

Zura and all other political leaders or prisoners of conscience are not prisoners today. They are captives and hostages of an autocratic regime, just as the whole of Georgia is a captive and hostage of Ivanishvili’s Russian regime.

The autocratic regime is in fact trying to intimidate the Georgian people because it is itself afraid, but it will not frighten us and it will not defeat us!” Kupradze wrote.

Zurab Japaridze left the penitentiary facility after serving a seven-month sentence. As he stated, based on information he received several days earlier, he was supposed to leave the facility at around 10:30 a.m., at which time his family members and friends were planning to arrive at the prison. However, he was released at 8:00 a.m. According to Japaridze, an unknown taxi driver standing near the prison 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 up and leave. I had nothing to pack and was wearing only a T-shirt. A jacket was supposed to be sent yesterday, but they didn’t allow it in, saying it was too thick and didn’t meet the standards. They released me at 8:00 a.m. in a T-shirt. There was a taxi standing there, and I used the driver’s phone to call Nata and tell her I was outside. Then a friend came to pick me up. There was no one outside, complete emptiness, and for about an hour — maybe 40 minutes — I couldn’t reach anyone to say that I was outside,” Zurab Japaridze said.