“The President of Georgia recognized that many convicts and their families are hopeful for amnesty and has signed the Amnesty Law,” stated the Presidential Administration, Georgian Public Broadcaster reports.
However, President Salome Zourabichvili views the signing as an indirect attempt to bribe voters ahead of the elections.
“The ruling party’s initiative to adopt the amnesty law before the parliamentary elections constitutes indirect voter bribery. Amnesty should be an act of humanity, appropriate either well in advance of or after the elections,” the administration asserted.
On September 24, Rati Ionatamishvili, a member of the Georgian Dream party, criticized the president for delaying the signing of the Amnesty Law, which impacts nearly 1,000 prisoners and 22,000 probationers. He described this delay as a sign of state irresponsibility that harms those awaiting the law’s implementation.
