The FINANCIAL — At the initiative of the President of Georgia, the rule of pardon on non-violent crimes will be altered and humanized. Head of the Pardon Commission, Mr. Zviad Koridze has held a press conference at the Presidential Palace today to present the President’s initiative.
As explained at the conference, the Pardon Commission should review pardon requests of the inmates who have committed drug-related crimes, drug trafficking excluded, without considering criteria of penalty term. The Pardon Commission should also examine pardon requests of those who are convicted under Article 381 [of the Criminal Code of Georgia] and have been sentenced on the basis of violation of the norms set by the Law of Georgia on Combating Drug-Related Crime, according to The Administration of the President of Georgia.
Following the same rule, the Pardon Commission should also examine pardon requests of those, who have committed property, economic, financial and civil crimes without using violence or threatening. Inmates convicted of these crimes may address the President if their cases are closed in all three judicial instances or appeal periods have expired. The Commission will fundamentally examine these cases.