Georgian authorities have ignored the Patriarchate's requests to release political prisoners.

The Georgian Orthodox Church has appealed to the authorities three times to pardon protesters convicted of minor offenses. All these requests have gone unanswered, a patriarchate spokesman said.

Key points on the persecution of protesters in Georgia

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, Georgian citizens have been holding daily protests in Tbilisi and other cities for over 400 days in a row, demanding the release of all arrested participants in anti-government protests, a resumption of the course toward European integration, and the holding of new parliamentary elections. On January 1, protesters in Tbilisi demanded the release of 61-year-old Zurab Menteshashvili, who was arrested on criminal charges for repeatedly blocking a road.

The Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) asked high-ranking officials of the ruling Georgian Dream party to pardon the participants in the anti-government protests, but the country's authorities have not responded. The request has been voiced more than once, said Andria Jagmaidze, a representative of the party's archdiocese.

We have raised the issue of the possible release of those who committed minor crimes, including Mzia Amaglobeli, three times.

According to him, the patriarchate, in particular, requested a pardon for journalist Mzia Amaglobeli. "Regarding the prisoners, we have raised the issue of the possible release of those who committed minor crimes, including Mzia Amaglobeli, three times," the Georgia Online news agency quoted Jagmaidze as saying today on the church television channel Ertsulovnebi.

Dzhagmaidze's speech is the church's first statement regarding communication with government representatives regarding the fate of people arrested for criticizing Georgian Dream. Previously, the Georgian Orthodox Church had not commented on the issue of political prisoners or publicly expressed its position on the protests. Andria Jagmaidze explained that the Patriarchate had deliberately kept its negotiations with the authorities under wraps to avoid political speculation.

The Church is one of the most influential institutions in Georgia, and the country's top officials consistently emphasize its authority in public statements. By the end of 2025, the possibility of releasing convicted opposition members was also discussed among supporters of the Georgian Dream: protesters arrested shortly after the 2024 parliamentary elections have already served a year in prison, which allows them to petition for parole or a commutation of their prison sentences to a more lenient measure, Novosti Georgia notes today.

"Caucasian Knot" also wrote that in December the patriarchate banned services for Archimandrite Dorota Kurashvili, accusing him of "violating church canonical ethics." Kurashvili had previously been defrocked for supporting protesters. Kurashvili himself noted that the decision to ban him from services was made without a commission, noting that he will continue to defend his position "not as a priest, but as a citizen."

Commenting on the church's decisions regarding Kurashvili, Andria Jagmaidze stated that the archimandrite was not prohibited from making political statements, but his statements were considered "insulting."

"Other priests also make political comments, but without insults. But Father Dorote makes double-edged statements – patriotic in form, but with insults. For example, he said that the protesters are on the light side, while the rest are in darkness. Isn't that an insult?" SOVAnews quoted Jagmaidze as saying on November 25.

Protesters in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. They have been holding daily protests on Rustaveli Avenue. Security forces carried out a brutal crackdown on protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. More than a thousand people were subjected to administrative prosecution.