TBILISI, December 21 – The Georgian government may be considering a New Year amnesty for people detained during recent pro European protests, after emotional public appeals from a popular singer and comments by the country’s president.
Well known Georgian singer Gia Gachechiladze, who performs under the stage name “Unknown,” used his television program to urge the government and the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate to release protesters arrested during demonstrations. He said his appeal was aimed at young people involved in street actions rather than political leaders, and even offered to take personal responsibility if any of them reoffend after release.
In his remarks, Gachechiladze mentioned actor Andro Chichinadze by name and framed the appeal as an act of goodwill, calling for compassion rather than punishment.
The comments came around the same time as a statement by President Mikheil Kavelashvili, who said he felt pain over the fate of young people now behind bars. Kavelashvili argued that the detainees had been misled and isolated, placing blame on what he described as European bureaucracy rather than Georgian authorities.
The two interventions have led some analysts to suggest that the ruling Georgian Dream may be preparing the public for a possible pre holiday pardon, Rezonansi reports.
Political analyst Za’al Anjaparidze said Gachechiladze is widely seen as close to the authorities, and that his appeal could be part of an effort to test public reaction ahead of a presidential pardon. He noted that under Georgian practice, clemency often requires acknowledgment of guilt, something some detainees have reportedly rejected.
Anjaparidze also warned that freeing protesters as wrongly detained could carry political costs for the government at home, even if it is welcomed abroad. He suggested that such a move might be interpreted in the European Union as a positive gesture following recent warnings about visa free travel for Georgians.
