
GD Announces More Repressive Legislative Changes
The ruling Georgian Dream announced legislative changes aimed at increasing sanctions for a number of administrative and criminal offenses, including “insulting officials” and “assaulting police.” Threatening to attack or use violence against civil servants will become a criminal offense, too. Public calls for violence which used to be an administrative offence, will now be punished by imprisonment for up to three years instead of financial sanctions.
GD parliamentary majority leader Mamuka Mdinaradze announced the changes on February 3 after the party’s political council meeting, saying that “the attempt to overthrow the government by the agents of the ‘Deep State’ continues” and that the ruling party needs “appropriate levers and means to govern the country” and “serve the citizens.”
He said that the proposed amendments are only the first part of the process, and promised that it would continue “until the imposed norms are completely replaced by the adoption of norms necessary for the proper functioning and independence of the state.” He said the relevant amendments had already been drafted.
Sanctions will be increased for both administrative and criminal violations, including:
- Indoor rallies without the prior consent of the building owner will be prohibited;
- For various administrative offenses, including petty hooliganism, disobeying a lawful order of police officer, vandalism, insulting the police, the blocking of court entrances, the penalties, both fines and detention period, will be increased.
- The period of administrative detention is increased from 15 to 60 days;
- Insulting a public official in connection with their work will become a new administrative offense;
- Public call for violence will now be punished by imprisonment for up to three years instead of a fine;
- Resisting, threatening, and using violence against the police will now fall under the category of serious crimes, punishable by five to ten years in prison;
- Attacking police, state authority, and their family members will have new aggravating circumstances: committing these crimes in groups, under various conditions, and with dangerous means;
- The punishment for the crime of harming the health of police officers will be increased.
In addition, Mdinaradze announced a new criminal code that would criminalize the threat of attack or violence against political authority, state authority, and public officials.
The increased penalties relate to the administrative and criminal offenses that pro-EU protesters routinely charged with by the GD authorities.
As of now, the pro-EU protests against the GD government’s decision to abandon the EU path enter their 68th consecutive day. Dozens have been arrested during the last months. Follow our live blog for more updates.
Also Read:
- 30/12/2024 – GD Elected President Kavelashvili Signs Into Law Repressive Legislation
- 17/12/2024 – Explainer | Facing Resistance, Georgian Dream Rushes in Repressive Laws
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