Opposition party leader released from prison in Georgia

 

According to Georgian media, Georgian opposition leader Giorgi Vashadze, leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli party, was released from prison today.

 

Footage of the politician's release was shown on local television channels.

Vashadze was sentenced to seven months in prison this summer for failing to appear before a parliamentary commission investigating crimes committed during Mikheil Saakashvili's presidency. He had been summoned to testify in April but refused to participate.

Several other opposition figures, including Zurab Japaridze, Nika Gvaramia, and Nika Melia, were also sentenced for failing to appear at the commission's request. The leaders of the "Strong Georgia" coalition, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, were pardoned by President Mikheil Kavelashvili in September of last year.