The short answer. If you or someone close to you has been detained or called in by the police in Georgia (the country), contact a criminal defence lawyer through legal.ge as early as possible: open the list of criminal law lawyers and call one, or describe the situation briefly in the Ask form to reach several at once.
Right now
1: Choose a lawyer in the city where the person is held; most of them work in Tbilisi.
2: Reveal the phone number on the profile, where the lawyer publishes one, and call. If nobody picks up, call the next.
3: Meanwhile, send a question with "Urgent" in the first line, then the city and, if known, the police station.
A relative or friend can do all this for the person who is held.
Have this ready
Who: full name and date of birth.
Where: the city and, if known, the police station.
When: the time it happened.
What was said: the reason given, if any, and any paper received.
Language: what the person speaks, and their nationality.
What to ask on the first call
Can you go there today, and how soon?
What will it cost, and how do I pay? Published consultation fees in this field on legal.ge are GEL 200 to 250; ask separately what attending in person costs.
What should the person do, or avoid doing, before you arrive?
How and how often will you keep me informed?
Called in, not detained
If you have had a call or a summons, speak to a lawyer before you go, and ask whether they can come with you.
Once you have a lawyer
Check on the profile whether the lawyer states Georgian Bar Association membership. A foreign national may also want to let their embassy or consulate know.
Ask criminal defence lawyers now · Criminal law lawyers · How to check a lawyer is licensed

