Georgian opposition leader released from prison

Georgian opposition leader Giorgi Vashadze, head of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli party, has been released from prison.

Vashadze had been serving a seven-month sentence after the Tbilisi City Court convicted him in June for failing to appear before a parliamentary commission investigating crimes during the presidency of Mikheil Saakashvili (2004–2012). He was initially summoned to testify in April but refused to attend, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media. 

Several other opposition figures, including Zurab Japaridze, Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, and former parliamentarian Givi Targamadze, were also convicted for failing to appear before the same parliamentary commission.

By Sabina Mammadli