Zurab “Girchi” Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change opposition party, has been released from Rustavi Prison after spending seven months in detention. The news was announced on Japaridze’s official Facebook page.
“Zurab Japaridze is free! The Penitentiary Service released him earlier than the scheduled date, and he has already left Rustavi Prison,” the statement said.
Japaridze was detained on May 22 inside a courtroom after being summoned to provide explanations to the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament of Georgia, a session he did not attend. He was subsequently charged under Article 349 of the Criminal Code, which concerns failure to comply with a request of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament of Georgia.
