What Conduct the Administrative Provision Covers
Article 171 of the Georgian Code of Administrative Offences addresses two distinct compositions: the drinking of alcoholic beverages in public places, and actions insulting human dignity and public morality committed in public places. Under the first part, drinking alcohol at a stadium, in a square, in a park, on any kind of public transport or in other public places constitutes an administrative offence. The provision contains an express carve-out: trade and public catering enterprises, as well as places where alcoholic beverages are sold by the bottle, fall outside the scope of this norm, so the same conduct there does not attract liability under this article.
The second part governs conduct of a different nature: actions in public places that insult human dignity and public morality, expressed in flagrant disregard of the rules of behaviour accepted in society and creating a humiliating or insulting environment for a person. The law sharpens this formula with concrete markers — such conduct includes sexual conduct, full or partial indecent exposure, and the satisfaction of physiological needs in public places. Distinguishing the two compositions correctly is decisive, because different fine ranges attach to them.
Sanctions and the Special Rule on Repeat Commission
Drinking alcohol in the public places listed in the first part entails a fine of 50 to 150 GEL. An act insulting dignity and public morality is punished more severely, with a fine of 100 to 200 GEL. On repeat commission the sanction grows markedly: a repeat of the offence provided for in the first part, committed within 1 year, entails a fine of 500 GEL. Exceptionally, where in view of the circumstances of the case and the personality of the offender a fine is considered insufficient, administrative arrest for a term of up to 15 days may be imposed. A separate guarantee follows from the note to the provision: for committing the offence covered by the third part, the person is deprived of the right to carry a weapon for up to 3 years, a consequence that operates alongside the fine or arrest.
Possible Lines of Defence in Cases of This Category
Work on the composition of the offence begins with the qualification of the place. The law names the stadium, the square, the park and any kind of public transport expressly, while trade and public catering enterprises and places selling alcohol by the bottle are excluded; drinking in such a place is not punishable under this article. The second key question is the objective side: the first part addresses drinking as such, whereas the second part addresses conduct that flagrantly contradicts accepted rules of behaviour and creates a humiliating environment. Shifting the boundary between those two forms changes the outcome of the case, because the applicable range of the fine depends on it.
The qualification of repetition is also frequently contested. The third part applies only to a repeat of the offence described in the first part and only within 1 year; once that period has elapsed, the sign of repetition disappears and the case is assessed under the first part with its lower fine. The imposition of administrative arrest is exceptional by design: the law permits it only where a fine is considered insufficient in view of the circumstances of the case and of the offender's personality, which gives the defence a clear standard to test. The drawing up of the protocol, the examination of the case and the appeal procedure are not regulated by this article directly — they are set by other provisions of the Code, so the precise deadlines and procedural steps must be verified separately in every case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fine for drinking alcohol in a public place?
Drinking at a stadium, in a square, in a park, on public transport or in another public place entails a fine of 50 to 150 GEL.
When does the sanction rise to 500 GEL?
A repeat of the offence provided for by the first part within 1 year entails a fine of 500 GEL and, exceptionally, administrative arrest for up to 15 days.
Is drinking allowed where alcohol is sold by the bottle?
Yes — trade and public catering enterprises and places where alcoholic beverages are sold by the bottle are outside the scope of this provision.
What happens to a person holding a weapon-carrying permit?
For a repeat offence the person is deprived of the right to carry a weapon for up to 3 years, a consequence independent of the fine.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The advocates of Legal.ge assist in administrative cases of this category: we verify the qualification of the place and the conduct, assess the validity and the timing of the repetition sign, protect your interests at the examination stage and prepare an appeal. Contact us: we will assess the prospects of your case on the exact footing of the statute and propose a defence strategy.