Law of Georgia on Combating Drug-related Crime

LAW OF GEORGIA

ON COMBATING DRUG-RELATED CRIME

Article 1 – Aim of the Law

This Law is intended to facilitate combat against drug-related crime, prevention of the spread of drug addiction, protection of private, public and state interests against drug dealers and persons assisting in drug-related activities, and prevention of the use and spread of narcotic drugs.

Law of Georgia No 504 of 16 April 2025 – website, 17.4.2025

Article 2 – Definition of terms

For the purposes of this Law, the terms used in this Law shall have the following meanings:

a) drug-related crime – a crime determined by Chapter XXXIII of the Criminal Code of Georgia;

b) drug user – a person who has committed a crime determined by Article 273, Article 273¹(1) and/or Article 275/Article 276 (if it has been confirmed that the crime had been committed under the influence of narcotic/psychotropic/new psychoactive substances) of the Criminal Code of Georgia;

c) facilitator of drug-related activities – a person who has committed a crime determined by Articles 260-260² and Articles 261-268 or Articles 271, 272 or 273¹ of the Criminal Code of Georgia;

d) drug dealer – a person who has committed a crime determined by Article 260³ of the Criminal Code of Georgia;

e) facilitator of the spread of narcotic drugs – a natural or legal person, and/or a group of persons, who has committed a crime determined by Chapter XXXIII of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which led to the illegal trafficking of narcotic or psychotropic substances.

Law of Georgia No 2044 of 5 March 2014 – website, 12.03.2014

Law of Georgia No 1220 of 26 July 2017 – website, 28.7.2017

Law of Georgia No 3776 of 30 November 2018 – website, 20.12.2018

Law of Georgia No 504 of 16 April 2025 – website, 17.4.2025

Article 3 – Deprivation of rights

1. On the basis of a judgement of conviction, users of narcotic substances shall be deprived of the following for 5 years:

a) a driving licence;

b) the right to medical and/or pharmaceutical practice and the right to establish, manage, or represent a pharmacy;

c) the right to practice law;

d) the right to work in pedagogical and educational institutions;

e) the right to work in public service;

f) the passive suffrage right;

g) the right to manufacture, purchase, store and carry weapons.

1¹. In the cases referred to in Articles 45, 45 ​ ¹ , 100² or of the Administrative Offences Code of Georgia, a court shall deprive a person of the right provided for in paragraph 1(a) of this Article for a period of 3 years, and the rights provided for in paragraph 1(d), (e) and (g) of this Article for a period of 5 years. A court may deprive a person of one or more rights provided for in paragraph 1(b), (c) and (f) of this Article for a period of up to 5 years. Information about the deprivation of rights under this article shall be included in the operative part of the decision of the court.

2. On the basis of a judgement of conviction, facilitators of drug-related activities or facilitators of the spread of narcotic drugs shall be deprived of the right defined in paragraph 1(b) of this article for 10 years, and the rights defined in subparagraphs (a) and (c-g) for 5 years.

3. In the case of a repeat commission of the offence defined in Article 2(c) or (e) of this Law, the facilitator of drug-related activities or the facilitator of the spread of narcotic drugs shall be deprived of the rights defined in paragraph 1(a) of this article for 5 years, the rights defined in subparagraphs (c-g) for 10 years, and the right defined in subparagraph (b) for 15 years.

4. On the basis of the court’s judgement of conviction, a drug dealer shall be deprived of the right referred to in paragraph 1(a) of this article for 5 years, the rights referred to in paragraph 1(c)-(g) of this article for 15 years, and the right referred to in paragraph 1(b) of this article for 20 years.

4¹. In the case of a plea agreement between the parties, shortening of the period of deprivation of rights under this article or, in special cases, full exemption from deprivation of rights is possible.

5. Deprivation of rights under this article shall be indicated in the operative part of the judgement of conviction.

6. The court shall immediately notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the Central Election Commission of Georgia, and the Legal Entity under Public Law called the Georgian Bar Association on the deprivation of rights from drug users, facilitators of drug-related activities or drug dealers.

Law of Georgia No 2227 of 4 December 2009 – LHG I, No 45, 21.12.2009, Art.344

Law of Georgia No 4257of 25 February 2011 – website, 10.3.2011

Law of Georgia No 5924 of 27 March 2012 – website, 19.4.2012

Law of Georgia No 2044 of 5 March 2014 – website, 12.3.2014

Law of Georgia No 3116 of 5 July 2018 – website, 11.7.2018

Law of Georgia No 3776 of 30 November 2018 – website, 20.12.2018

Law of Georgia No 6954 of 15 July 2020 – website, 28.7.2020

Law of Georgia No 368 of 16 March 2021 – website, 18.3.2021

Law of Georgia No 3854 of 30 November 2023 – website, 15.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 504 of 16 April 2025 – website, 17.4.2025

Law of Georgia No 927 of 2 July 2025 – website, 3.7.2025

Article 4 – Confiscation of property

Illegal and/or undocumented property of facilitators of the spread of narcotic substances shall be confiscated according to the procedures established by the Chapter XLIV1 of the Civil Procedure Code of Georgia.

Article 5 – Calculation of time periods

The period of restrictions laid down in Article 3 of this Law shall commence:

a) in the case of a custodial sentence – upon the completion of the sentence;

b) in the case of conditional sentences – from the moment of starting the probation period;

c) in the case of a non-custodial sentence – from the moment the final decision is rendered in the case;

d) in the cases determined by Article 45 , Article 45¹ or Article 100² of the Administrative Offences Code of Georgia – from the moment the final decision is rendered in the case.

Law of Georgia No 504 of 16 April 2025 – website, 17.4.2025

Law of Georgia No 927 of 2 July 2025 – website, 3.7.2025

Article 6 – Restoration of rights

1. Restoration of the rights of which drug users, facilitators of drug-related activities, facilitators of the spread of narcotic drugs, or drug dealers are deprived shall be permissible after the expiration of the term specified in Article 3 of this Law or, in the case specified in paragraph 1¹ of this article.

1¹. The Standing Committee for Considering Matters Concerning the Revocation of Conditional Sentences ('the Committee') of a Legal Entity under Public Law called the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation operating under the governance of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia shall be authorised to restore deprived rights to a person ahead of time or, reduce the period of deprivation of rights, after the expiration of one-third of the relevant period specified in Article 3 of this Law, taking into account the conduct of the person. The deprived rights specified in Article 3(1)(a) and (g) of this Law shall be restored to a person on the basis of a decision of the Committee after the satisfaction of requirements determined by the legislation of Georgia.

1². In the cases determined by Article 45, Article 45 ​ ¹ or Article 100² of the Administrative Offences Code of Georgia, the right/rights deprived of a person may be restored after the expiry of the period determined by the court.

1³. (Deleted – 17.12.2025, No 1344).

2. In the case specified in Article 5(b) of this Law, if the probation period is longer than the period of deprivation of rights, the deprived rights shall be restored after the expiry of the probation period, except for the cases defined in Article 3(4¹) of this Law and paragraph 1¹ of this article.

3. The exercise of rights is prohibited without submitting to the appropriate state agency the conclusion of a forensic medical expertise issued by a state expert institution.

4. The breach of (non-compliance with) the restrictions established by this Law by drug users, facilitators of drug-related activities, facilitators of the spread of narcotic drugs, or drug dealers, shall result in the imposition of liability under Article 381 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

5. (Deleted – 17.3.2020, No 5770).

Law of Georgia No 4257 of 25 February 2011 – website, 10.3.2011

Law of Georgia No 5924 of 27 March 2012 – website, 19.4.2012

Law of Georgia No 1472 of 4 October 2013 – website, 16.10.2013

Law of Georgia No 1785 of 13 December 2013 – website, 28.12.2013.

Law of Georgia No 2044 of 5 March 2014 – website, 12.3.2014

Law of Georgia No 3116 of 5 July 2018 – website, 11.7.2018

Law of Georgia No 3776 of 30 November 2018 – website, 20.12.2018

Law of Georgia No 5397 of 29 November 2019 – website, 10.12.2019

Law of Georgia No 5770 of 17 March 2020 – website, 23.3.2020

Law of Georgia No 504 of 16 April 2025 – website, 17.4.2025

Law of Georgia No 927 of 2 July 2025 – website, 3.7.2025

Law of Georgia No 1344 of 17 December – website, 17.12.2025

Article 7 – Transitional Provisions

1. The restrictions laid down in this Law shall enter into force from 1 November 2007 in relation to persons determined by Article 2 (b) of this Law.

2. The Government of Georgia shall ensure the compliance of the legislation of Georgia with this Law within 2 months after entry into force of this Law.

Article 8 – Final Provision

This Law shall enter into force on the fifteenth day after its promulgation.

President of Georgia                                                              M. Saakashvili

Tbilisi,

3 July 2007

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