President signs pardon of activist sentenced for throwing Molotov cocktails at police in 2023
Local media said Grigoriadis would probably leave the penitentiary facility today. Photo: Presidential Administration
Tweet 
Share
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Wednesday signed the act of pardon of Lazare Grigoriadis, a 21-year-old activist who was sentenced to nine years in prison for throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at police officers and setting fire to a police vehicle during March 2023 protests in Tbilisi against a proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Zourabichvili in mid-April said her “conscience” had “guided her” to conclude that “this young man should not face a nine-year sentence”.
Local media said Grigoriadis would probably leave the penitentiary facility today.
Earlier today, the resolution part of the verdict was delivered to the defence by the court.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Friday said she would pardon Lazare Grigoriadis, a 21-year-old activist who was sentenced to nine years in prison for throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at police officers and setting fire to a police vehicle during March 2023 protests in Tbilisi against a proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia on Monday rejected claims of an individual arrested for assaulting police during last month’s protests in Tbilisi against the bill on transparency of foreign influence having had his hair shaven against his will and denied access to his legal team.
Lazare Grigoriadis, a 21-year-old activist who was charged with throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at police officers and setting fire to a police vehicle during March 2023 protests in Tbilisi against a proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence, has been sentenced to nine years in prison.
Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament’s Vice Speaker, on Monday claimed the “radical” domestic opposition had “used the youth for their political purposes” during last month’s protests in Tbilisi against the proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence.