The Essence of Article 315 and Its Protected Interest
Article 315 of the Criminal Code of Georgia protects the constitutional order of the state and the lawful functioning of state power. The provision describes two interconnected crimes: conspiracy to change the constitutional order of Georgia by violence, to overthrow state power, or to seize it, and mutiny directed at the same aims. It is significant that the article is oriented specifically at violent paths: changing the constitutional order through the procedure established by law is always lawful, and the crime begins only where this aim is pursued by violent methods. The main battle of the defense in cases of this category unfolds precisely around this boundary. An accusation under this article is severe, resonant, and often rests on an extensive evidentiary base, which is why timely professional defense is decisive for the accused.