Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili has granted pardons to 49 individuals to mark the occasion of St. George’s Day (Giorgoba), the Presidential Administration announced on Sunday.

The act of clemency, a traditional exercise of the President's constitutional authority on this important national holiday, was stated to be based on the principles of "humanism and the interests of the state."

The act of clemency applied to a diverse group of individuals, resulting in a total of 49 pardons. Specifically, the clemency benefited 34 inmates who were actively serving prison sentences, and 14 people who were serving non-custodial sentences, such as probation or community service. Additionally, one individual was granted a full expungement, meaning their conviction was removed entirely from the record.

St. George's Day, celebrated on November 23rd, is a major public holiday in Georgia, honoring the nation's patron saint. It is one of the most revered days in the country's Orthodox Christian calendar.

President Kavelashvili's administration affirmed that the President "exercises the exclusive constitutional power of pardon based on the principles of humanism and the interests of the state."

This presidential action comes amidst ongoing political tensions in Georgia, following Kavelashvili's inauguration and the ruling party's actions concerning Georgia’s EU accession process. (ILKHA)