Political Asylum (Criminal Context) in Georgia

Political Asylum (Criminal Context)

What bars extradition in a political context?

Classification of the offense as political, Georgian citizenship, and the existence of the death penalty in the requesting state's legislation.

How is political character assessed?

By the purposes, motive, form, methods and other circumstances — if the features of the criminal act outweigh the political aspects, the offense is not political.

Can legal assistance be refused?

Yes, in the cases established by the law — sovereignty, security, public order, protection of rights, or the risk of double jeopardy.

What happens upon refusal?

The request and documents are returned to the foreign state with an indication of the reasons for postponement or non-execution.

4 min·8 Feb 2026

The Criminal-Law Dimension of Political Asylum

For a victim of political persecution present in Georgia, the law on international cooperation in criminal matters forms part of the set of guarantees that protect against transfer to a foreign state. It determines when mutual legal assistance will not be rendered, when extradition is not carried out, and in which cases a request may be refused or postponed — the norms that operate alongside the criminal-law foundations of political asylum. The procedure for granting refugee status is governed by separate regulations; the focus of this page is precisely those criminal-law barriers that make the transfer of a person impossible.