Georgia, Tbilisi, Oct.24/ Trend N.Kirtskhalia /
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili pardoned the country's first president's son Tsotne Gamsakhurdia. As the Georgian Patriarchate said, he was pardoned based on the petition of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II dated Sept.28.
Patriarch asked for pardon due to Tsotne Gamsakhurdia's ill health. In prison Tsotne Gamsakhurdia fell ill with hepatitis C, which requires a serious and long-term treatment.
Tsotne Gamsakhurdia was arrested on Oct.27, 2009. He was accused of causing a gunshot wound to his neighbor David Badzhelidze, although Gamsakhurdia did not plead guilty. He considers himself as a "political prisoner". In 2010 Tsotne Gamsakhurdia was sentenced to a 9-year imprisonment for attempted murder, and carrying guns. He went on hunger strike several times during his imprisonment.