Nana Sander Released From Prison: "13-Month Torture Is Over"

Nana Sander, convicted in the case of the October 4 rally, has left the penitentiary facility. She was released from custody on the basis of a plea agreement.

After leaving prison, Sander said: "The 13-month torture is over, in the direct sense, both psychological and physical. I am free. Of course, I am glad to be outside, but what saddens me is that in prisons, in addition to prisoners of conscience and political prisoners, there are also many innocent prisoners, thousands of people who are imprisoned and have been unfairly sentenced. For example, a mother of 2 children was sentenced to 4 years over a debt of 30,000 lari. Prisons are overcrowded with children, adults, grown-ups and elderly people; I met a 75-year-old person in an extremely difficult condition. In short, human rights are violated everywhere in women's and men's prisons alike".

In connection with the events near the Orbeliani... Athonelis Palace on October 4, Sander had been charged under Article 225, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which concerns organizing group violence and provides for imprisonment of 6 to 9 years.

She had also been charged under Article 317 of the Criminal Code, which concerns calls for the forcible change of the constitutional order of Georgia and the overthrow of state power, punishable by imprisonment of up to 9 years.