Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze commented on the issue of pardoning jailed participants of pro-European protests, noting that confession of guilt as a precondition for a pardon is not required in a legal sense, but is necessary for crime prevention and is important for the state.
“We have publicly stated that where there is confession and repentance, appropriate steps will be taken. We have repeatedly conveyed this position to representatives of the Patriarchate, and it has also been publicly voiced. This is our position, which is very firm and clear,” the head of government stated.
Asked whether repentance is necessary in a legal sense for a pardon, the prime minister noted that “in a legal sense, there is no such need.”
“In a legal sense <repentance is not required for a pardon> — no, it is necessary for crime prevention. It is necessary for the state,” the Georgian prime minister emphasized.