President Kavelashvili offers pardon to jailed opposition leaders willing to participate in local elections

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili has announced that he is prepared to pardon imprisoned opposition leaders—on the condition that they submit a formal request and confirm their intention to participate in the upcoming local elections.

“As the public is aware, several leaders of political parties are currently serving prison sentences in accordance with Georgian law,” Kavelashvili said in a statement on Friday. “In light of this, I offer every relevant convicted politician the opportunity to address me with a request for a presidential pardon and to declare, in the same letter, their desire to participate in the elections. If they do so, I will immediately issue an act of pardon.”

The offer comes ahead of Georgia’s scheduled municipal elections, set for October 4, 2025. Voters across the country will elect mayors and municipal council members in all 64 municipalities.

Kavelashvili also stressed the importance of the upcoming elections. “It is vital that all political parties registered under Georgian law and expressing a desire to run be able to fully participate in the electoral process,” he stated. “It is equally important that they are able to carry out their campaigns freely and without restriction.”