Do not confuse contradiction with intentional wrongdoing
Changed testimony may reflect memory, fear, translation, new documents or pressure; it is not self-proving evidence of guilt or falsity.
The proposition that needs proof
What changed, when, after which contact or disclosure, and which version is independently supported?
Every version should be examined with the warning, translation, interview conditions and information available at that time.
Create a version-and-contact matrix
Side-by-side transcripts, audio or video, interpreter records, interview conditions, contact history and objective timeline evidence.
- PreserveSecure every original recording, text and version.
- CompareMark exact additions, omissions and contradictions without paraphrase.
- ExplainTest memory, translation, disclosure, pressure and objective corroboration.
Articles that may enter the qualification
These provisions are orientation points, not a conclusion. An investigation may start under one article and later be narrowed, expanded or reclassified as facts, expert results, article parts, aggravating circumstances and procedural decisions develop.
False information, testimony, conclusion or translation
A mistake, inconsistency or corrected account is not automatically intentional false testimony; warnings, language and context matter.
Read full Article 370 text on this pageRead the relevant provisions before the external source
The operative English text below is reproduced from the official consolidated Criminal Code of Georgia, publication 296, accessed 9 August 2026. Formatting has been normalised for on-screen reading; the current Georgian-language consolidated text controls if wording or timing differs.
Article 370False information, false testimony, false conclusion, failure to protect the object of the expert examination or incorrect translation+
1. Obstruction of justice, which was expressed in the provision of false information or a false testimony by an interviewee, witness or victim, the provision of a false conclusion or a false testimony by an expert, the failure by an expert to protect the object of an expert examination intentionally or by negligence, and/or the intentional incorrect translation by an interpreter during the investigation or in court, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of four years.
2. The same act committed for mercenary purposes or other personal motive, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of two to six years.
3. An act under paragraph 1 of this article committed in connection with the criminal case, in which an accused person is charged for a serious or particularly serious crime, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of three to seven years.
4. An act under paragraph 1 or 3 of this article committed repeatedly, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of four to eight years.
Open Article 370 in the official consolidated Criminal Code↗︎How counsel turns the issue into a case plan
For contradictory or changed testimony, counsel can identify the operative procedure and decision-maker, test the prosecution theory against each legal element, obtain lawful defence material, frame expert or disclosure requests, preserve objections and prepare the next motion, hearing or cross-border step. Advice must be based on the actual record rather than the page title alone.
Prepare a version matrix and investigate the reason for change without coaching the witness.
Questions clients ask about contradictory or changed testimony
Does Article 370 — False information, testimony, conclusion or translation — automatically apply to Contradictory or Changed Testimony?+
For Contradictory or Changed Testimony, Article 370 may provide a starting point, but a page title is not a legal qualification. Investigators and prosecutors must match proved facts to every element, part and aggravating circumstance. The qualification may be narrowed, expanded or changed after expert results, new evidence, a defence motion, prosecutorial review or a court decision. A mistake, inconsistency or corrected account is not automatically intentional false testimony; warnings, language and context matter.
Which factual boundary is decisive in a Contradictory or Changed Testimony case?+
In a Contradictory or Changed Testimony case, the evidence must distinguish an intentional offence against justice from mistake, inconsistency, translation difficulty or a lawful correction. That boundary is tested through the person's individual conduct, knowledge or intent, the legally classified consequence and every circumstance relied upon to move the allegation into a different article or aggravated part.
What evidence can prove—or undermine—the allegation of Contradictory or Changed Testimony?+
The focused record for Contradictory or Changed Testimony is not the same as for every offence. Priority material includes every version of the record, audio or video, interpreter material, contact history and objective corroboration. The defence should test provenance, completeness, authorship, lawful collection, chain of custody and whether each item proves the disputed element rather than merely repeating the accusation.
Can the article or charge for Contradictory or Changed Testimony change after the investigation starts?+
Yes. For Contradictory or Changed Testimony, Article 370 may be a starting map, but expert results, quantity or value, injury classification, individual role, attempt or participation, a defence application, prosecutorial review or a court decision may support a different article, part or legal outcome.
What should be preserved immediately in a Contradictory or Changed Testimony matter?+
In a Contradictory or Changed Testimony matter, preserve the original chronology, procedural records and the topic-specific material before routine loss or alteration. Early advice is important because informal attempts to coordinate or retract accounts can create additional risk; preservation must be lawful and must not involve hiding, changing or coordinating evidence.
Primary sources for this guide
Legislation can change and official English translations may lag the Georgian text. Check the current consolidated version and obtain advice before relying on a deadline, offence classification or remedy.
Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia↗︎Criminal Code of Georgia↗︎Constitution of Georgia↗︎