OSCE PA President says request to visit prisoners in Georgia was denied

Pere Joan Pons, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, on Tuesday said the delegation had requested permission to visit prisoners in Georgia, but the request was rejected by the authorities.

“We requested the right to visit prisoners, particularly to meet the Sakharov Prize laureate. This request was passed on to the Prime Minister, the President, the Interior Minister and the Speaker of Parliament. The answer was negative, and we accept that,” he told journalists.

Responding to a question about the political situation in Georgia and whether recent laws could restrict freedom of speech, Pons noted some of the parties the delegation met during its visit said the situation had not improved since 2024.

“Today we heard from some parties the situation has not improved compared to 2024, at least,” he said.

Pons also noted the delegation had suggested the authorities consider releasing prisoners who have served more than 50 per cent of their sentences.

“We told the Prime Minister and the Speaker of Parliament today that one of the steps they should consider is the release of prisoners who have served more than half of their sentences,” he said.

When asked whether the detained individuals should be considered political prisoners, Pons said it was not his role to make that determination.

“It is not for me to judge whether they are political prisoners or not. What I can say is that they are in prison due to actions related to political activity,” he stated.

Pons added that during the visit the delegation facilitated dialogue between representatives of the Government, opposition parties and civil society.

He stressed that political dialogue is essential, particularly in the context of Georgia’s aspirations to advance talks on membership with the European Union.