Nothing has been delayed [by Mikheil Kavelashvili], a pardon has been issued, and from this morning onwards, the pardoned persons will be released in accordance with this act - the president said that he would issue a pardon on the Epiphany, the pardon was issued on January 19, the release of the pardoned persons begins from the morning of January 20, what is irresistible, inhumane or terrible in this? - Georgian Dream MP Irakli Kadagishvili stated while talking to journalists about the pardon of prisoners.

In his assessment, speculation on the fate of people is the greatest inhumanity.

“What is so sensational, inhumane and terrible about it that the pardon was issued in the evening and the release began in the morning?

Speculation about the fate of people is the greatest inhumanity. The president said that he would issue a pardon on Epiphany, the pardon was issued on January 19, the release of pardoned persons will begin in the morning on January 20 - what is an irrepressible inhumane or terrible act in this?”, - said Irakli Kadagishvili.

According to him, the prisoners’ relatives had the goal of “speculating on their prisoners in order to create speculative material to damage the government’s image in society.”

“It is always the case that at some point a pardon is issued and the release procedure begins within a few hours, but today this has caused such a stir. This is due to the fact that over the past week, a certain segment of opposition television channels and social networks [has been] [claiming] that these people would be released. There has been deliberate propaganda throughout the day… They know very well that there are all the legal ways to obtain this pardon.

All this time, propaganda has been going on that they do not want any pardon and even if he pardons them, they would not accept that from this illegitimate president, etc.

The goal is to maintain a constant mood of confrontation and tension in society. That is all, and nothing more, otherwise even the parents of the prisoners know that at least an appeal is necessary.

When someone actually wants pardon, the actions are different, there is a different rhetoric and actions. On the contrary, we have been seeing different rhetoric and actions all this time, and the goal was not to achieve a pardon, but to create this speculation and a speculative, tense environment…

Their goal was to speculate with their prisoners, to create speculative material in society, to damage the image of the government,” Kadagishvili noted.

“Kavelashvili does not need any recognition of legitimacy from anyone. This legitimacy is recognized by the Constitution of Georgia and the democratic process conducted in accordance with this Constitution. In general, if you look at the meaning of pardon and read the laws that provide for this act, you will understand what is needed [for pardon]. The most important thing is to know that the one who is pardoned must at least have a desire to get this pardon,” Kadagishvili explained.

For information, Mikheil Kavelashvili pardoned 159 people on the occasion of the Epiphany. There was an expectation that the pardon might apply to those detained during the protests, which is why family members, friends and relatives of the convicts came to both Rustavi and Gldani prisons, although the identities of the people who were pardoned by Mikheil Kavelashvili are still unknown.