The legal and evidential questions
Coercion by Threats. The first task is to establish the exact restriction, place, duration and means. The statutory starting point shown on this page is Article 151 (Threat). It requires examination of the alleged threat and whether it produced a reasonable fear that it would be carried out.
Identify the exact threatened consequence and demanded act, then preserve complete communications, witnesses, location and relationship context, prior reports and any resulting restriction.
Restriction, consent and control are fact-specific
A disagreement, relationship or debt does not by itself prove unlawful imprisonment or coercion. The precise restriction, duration, means, threat, purpose and ability to leave must be reconstructed.
Questions to answer first
Establish the exact restriction, place, duration and means
Preserve location, vehicle, access and communication evidence
Separate coercion, threats, violence and property demands
Coordinate urgent safety, missing-person and cross-border issues
Evidence that may matter
- Location, transport and access-control data
- Messages, calls and recordings
- CCTV and witness accounts
- Injury and medical evidence
- Travel, border and payment records
Criminal Code articles to check
Threat
Requires examination of the alleged threat and whether it produced a reasonable fear that it would be carried out.
Read full Article 151 text on this pageCoercion
Focuses on an unlawful physical or mental restriction of a person's freedom to act or refrain from acting.
Read full Article 150 text on this pageUnlawful imprisonment
May be considered where a person is allegedly deprived of freedom; place, duration, consent and control are central facts.
Read full Article 143 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 151Threat+
1. A threat of killing, damaging health or destroying property, when a person threatened has started to have a reasonable sensation of fear that the threat will be carried out, –
shall be punished by a fine or community service for a term of 120 to 180 hours, or by corrective labour for a term of up to one year or house arrest for a term of six months to two years, or by imprisonment for a term of up to one year, with or without restriction of the rights regarding weapons.
2. The same act committed:
a) by a group of persons;
b) repeatedly;
c) premeditatedly by a perpetrator against a pregnant woman, a person in a helpless condition, a person with disabilities or a minor, –
d) against a family member, –
shall be punished by a fine or community service for a term of 170 to 200 hours, or by corrective labour for a term of up to two years and/or imprisonment for a term of up to three years, with or without restriction of the rights regarding weapons.
The consolidated official source is listed in the source section at the end of this guide.
Article 150Coercion+
1. Illegal restriction of a person’s freedom to act, i.e. coercing him/her physically or mentally to perform or not to perform an action, performance of or abstaining from performance of which is his/her right, or to make him/her experience an influence against his/her own will, –
shall be punished by a fine, or corrective labour for a term of up to one year or house arrest for a term of six months to two years, or imprisonment for a term of up to one year, with or without restriction of the rights regarding weapons.
2. The same act committed:
a) knowingly by an offender against a minor, a person in a helpless condition, a person with disability or a pregnant woman;
b) by a group of persons;
c) repeatedly, –
shall be punished by corrective labour for a term of up to two years, or imprisonment for a term of up to eighteen months, with or without restriction of the rights regarding weapons.
The consolidated official source is listed in the source section at the end of this guide.
Article 143Unlawful imprisonment+
1. Unlawful imprisonment, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of two to four years, with or without restriction of the rights regarding weapons.
2. The same act committed:
a) by taking the victim abroad;
b) against official foreign representatives or persons subject to international legal protection;
c) for the purpose of concealing or facilitating any other crime, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of four to seven years, with or without restriction of the rights regarding weapons.
3. The same act committed:
a) with a preliminary agreement by a group of persons;
b) repeatedly;
c) against two or more persons;
d) knowingly by the offender against a pregnant woman, a minor or a helpless person;
e) using violence or threat of violence dangerous for life or health, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of seven to ten years, with or without restriction of the rights regarding weapons.
4. The act provided for by paragraphs 1, 2 or 3 of this article:
a) committed by an organised group;
b) that caused the death of the victim or resulted in other grave consequences, –
shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of eight to twelve years, with or without restriction of the rights regarding weapons.
The consolidated official source is listed in the source section at the end of this guide.
How the process may develop
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↗︎