Do not confuse contradiction with intentional wrongdoing
An allegation later rejected or unproved is not automatically a knowingly false denunciation.
The proposition that needs proof
What did the reporter actually assert, what did they know then, and what proves deliberate falsity rather than mistake?
Every version should be examined with the warning, translation, interview conditions and information available at that time.
Create a version-and-contact matrix
Original complaint, interview recordings, source material available at the time, later versions, objective records and motive 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
False denunciation
An allegation that proves inaccurate is not automatically a knowingly false report; the original wording and the reporter's knowledge are central.
Read full Article 373 text on this pageRead the relevant Criminal Code provisions
The panel below reproduces the available official English wording for convenient reading. Check the current Georgian text and the exact article part before relying on it, because later amendments may not yet appear in translation.
Article 373False denunciation+
1. False denunciation of the commission of a crime, –
shall be punished by a fine or community service from one hundred and eighty to two hundred and forty hours or with corrective labour from one to two years or with imprisonment for up to four years.
2. The same act accompanied by a charge for serious or particularly serious crime, or by a forgery of evidence supporting the accusation, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of two to four years.
3. The act provided for by paragraph 2 of this article:
a) committed for mercenary purposes or with other personal motives;
b) resulting in grave consequences, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of four to six years.
The consolidated official source is listed in the source section at the end of this guide.
Preserve the first version and rebut it with independent facts rather than pressure on the complainant.
Primary sources for this guide
Before acting, compare this guide with the current Georgian text and the exact document served in the case. The official English translation may not include the latest amendment.
Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia↗︎Official consolidated Criminal Code — current text & PDF↗︎Constitution of Georgia↗︎