TBILISI, September 6 – Two of Georgia’s best-known opposition figures, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, walked free on Friday, after being pardoned by President Mikheil Kavelashvili.
Both men are leading figures in the Lelo party, and had been serving prison sentences since June for defying a parliamentary investigation into the country’s turbulent political past.
Their release was a surprise, even though Kavelashvili promised in June to free those in the opposition who decided to take part in the elections. Khazaradze suggested it was not a gesture of reconciliation but a political move designed to sow division within the opposition camp. He insisted that their goal remained the same: “our country’s European future, new parliamentary elections, and the release of political and conscience prisoners.”
Japaridze echoed the message, saying the party’s decision to contest the upcoming local elections was made even while its leaders were behind bars, and that they would stay true to it.
Not everyone in the opposition welcomed the news. Nika Gvaramia, a jailed media figure and leader of the Coalition for Change, urged Khazaradze and Japaridze to reconsider their strategy and rejoin a united opposition. Meanwhile, former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia congratulated them but warned that the ruling Georgian Dream party continues to jail people for political reasons.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said he respected the president’s decision, and described it as reflecting that the elections will be competitive.
President Kavelashvili offered over summer to pardon jailed opposition leaders if they vowed to take part in the upcoming local elections. Shortly after, the Lelo party announced it would contest the elections, despite the opposition boycott, leading to internal divisions with some members leaving. Lelo and former PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party are running a joint ticket with for Tbilisi mayor.
