A prominent Georgian journalist has been released from prison after serving a four-year term for extortion, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
Shalva Ramishvili was convicted of trying to blackmail a member of parliament representing the ruling United National Movement of President Mikheil Saakashvili. The opposition considered him a political prisoner.
Ramishvili was the founder, director, and a co-owner of the 202 independent television company, which played a major role in Georgia's Rose Revolution in 2003, which brought Saakashvili to power.
Ramishvili has always said that his imprisonment was politically motivated and he therefore never asked for clemency.