If specific prisoners express remorse for the crimes they committed, the government will respond appropriately, but remorse and repentance are fundamentally important — this is our simple position, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said, commenting on the possible pardoning of individuals detained during protests.

According to him, prisoners’ remorse is important because it has a preventive effect.

“The court operates strictly under legal standards. A pardon is a political decision, and the President may take various factors into account. The court cannot be guided by political expediency. Confession and repentance are the main factors. Until we see acknowledgment, remorse, and repentance, our approach cannot be different.

No one is happy about a prisoner being in a penitentiary institution. You may remember that during the first attempt at revolution, only one person was detained, when almost the entire city was set on fire. This encouraged another attempt at a violent revolution. Later, six people were imprisoned, and the state did not respond adequately, which encouraged a third attempt at revolution. After that, around 30 people were detained, which had a preventive effect.

We do not need anyone’s apology. Remorse is important for prevention. When a person shows us and others that they regret their actions, it has a preventive effect. Our goal is to ensure that no one is tempted to attempt a violent overthrow of the state, and punishment is important for that reason.

Remorse is what supports the preventive effect,” said Irakli Kobakhidze.