President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov signed a decree on Saturday to pardon Georgian citizen Vazhi Gaprindashvili, who violated the state border of the Republic and was convicted by the court, the press service of the head of state reports.
"In accordance with paragraph 38 of article 50 of the Constitution (Basic Law) of the Republic of South Ossetia, guided by the principles of humanity, taking into account the personal request and by virtue of assisting the investigation, I decide: to pardon the convicted Gaprindashvili Vazha Jondoevich, born in 1961, a citizen of the Republic of Georgia, freeing him from further serving a sentence of imprisonment," the decree reads.
The decree comes into force from the moment of signing.
Gaprindashvili was detained by South Ossetian border guards on November 9. The press service of the KGB of South Ossetia later reported that criminal proceedings were instituted against Gaprindashvili under article 322 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal border crossing). Gaprindashvili was sentenced by a court in South Ossetia to one year and nine months in prison.
