Under new law, Georgia frees 190 political prisoners

Monday, January 14, 2013

— Georgia freed 190 political prisoners who were incarcerated under the previous government after a law pushed through by the country’s new parliament went into effect.

Relatives and supporters gathered outside prisons Sunday to greet those who were amnestied, including political leaders from Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s opposition coalition Georgian Dream. Eka Beselia, the head of parliament’s Committee for Human Rights, symbolically opened the doors of Gldani prison in the capital, Tbilisi, and led out the prisoners.

The amnesty bill was signed into law Saturday by parliamentary Chairman David Usuphashvili after lawmakers overturned President Mikheil Saakashvili’s veto on Dec. 28.

Billionaire Ivanishvili’s opposition coalition won parliamentary elections on Oct. 1, defeating Saakashvili’s United National Movement. Georgian Dream promised to restore justice, raise living standards and improve relations with Russia. Georgia fought a brief war over its breakaway South Ossetia region with its northern neighbor in August 2008.

The bill guarantees the release of 3,000 prisoners and a reduction of sentences for thousands of other inmates.

Front Section, Pages 6 on 01/14/2013