The President of Georgia did not pardon Deacon Giorgi Mamaladze. Salome Zurabishvili shared her decision at a special briefing held at the President's Administration regarding Christmas pardons.
"I was guided by the principle, not to promote any new confrontation in society. I could not find an argument why an exception should be made regarding the case of Deacon Giorgi Mamaladze," the President said.
Patriarchate petitioned for Deacon's release.
After the moratorium announced on September 18, the President issued a pardon for the first time. It was adopted under a new rule that came into force on November 27, 2019.
Deacon Mmaladze was convicted in relation to the so-called cyanide case.
Mamaladze himself does not plead guilty.
He is in the 18th penitentiary.