Parliament Adopts Amendments on Stricter Punishment for Criminal Group Membership

The Parliament of Georgia adopted proposed amendments by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) on tightening of punishment for criminal organized group membership.

According to the changes, any person who appears to be a member of a criminal group or a "thief- in- law", for the purpose of settling any dispute or making any decisions, or supports the criminal world, will be punished according to criminal law.

Also, any person who organizes the meeting of criminals or so called “thieves-in-laws”, or takes part in such meetings, will be punished.

Furthermore, if under the current criminal code, being a “thief-in-law” is punished by 7-10 years imprisonment, according to the amendments, this punishment will be increased to 10-15 years in prison.

As for membership of an organized criminal group, the punishment will be a term of seven to ten years instead of the previous 5-8 years.

Georgia’s Deputy Interior Minister, Natia Mezvrishvili, says the country has declared “uncompromising fight” to criminal mentality, established in the country since the Soviet era.

“Criminal mentality is the problem of future generations, and also it hampers economic development, which should be fought by all means,” she added.

“Thieves-in-law," are originally a Soviet phenomenon. They first appeared in the 1930s – people who did not accept the Soviet regime and went into the criminal underground. "Thief" is not a profession, but a title backed by the thieves' "law," or code of conduct.

However, at present, a "thief-in-law" is just the leader of a criminal gang. Only people, who have been convicted many times can become the so-called thieves-in-law. Once accepted they must live according to the thieves' code. The penalty for violation of this code is often mutilation or death.

By Thea Morrison

Related story:

Georgia Tightens Punishment for Criminal Group Membership