---
title: "Witness Immunity & Counsel"
url: "https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/witness-immunity-counsel-en"
field: "Criminal Law"
description: "Witness immunity and counsel in Georgia: false-testimony liability and the risk of unlawful influence under the Criminal Code. Legal.ge."
reviewed: "2026-07-09"
updated: "2026-11-07"
publisher: "legal.ge"
---

# Witness Immunity & Counsel

> Source: legal.ge, https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/witness-immunity-counsel-en

## Witness Immunity and Counsel — Between Two Risks

A witness in a criminal case faces a two-sided risk. On one side, through his own testimony he may himself become liable — Article 370 of the Criminal Code provides liability for supplying false information or giving false testimony. On the other, he may be subjected to unlawful influence — which the Code likewise regulates, in Article 372. Moving between these two articles is the space where witness consultation happens: exact knowledge of the boundaries set by law and the weighing of every step. This page explains both provisions so that a witness knows the true substance of witness immunity, not an imagined version.

## Article 370 — the Witness's Own Liability

Article 370 governs liability for obstruction of justice expressed in the supply of false information or the giving of false testimony by an examined person, a witness or a victim, the giving of a false conclusion or testimony by an expert, an expert's deliberate or negligent failure to safeguard the object of expert examination, or an interpreter's deliberate wrong translation — during investigation or in court. Under the first part, this act is punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of up to 4 years. The second part is harsher: the same act, committed for gain or other personal motive, is punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of 2 to 6 years. Under the third part, the act of the first part, committed in a criminal case in which the accused is charged with a grave or especially grave crime, is punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of 3 to 7 years. The fourth part covers the same act committed more than once — 4 to 8 years.

## Article 372 — the First Form of Influence on a Witness

The first part of Article 372 protects the examined person, the witness, the victim, the expert and the interpreter from entreaty or persuasion — attempts to abuse their procedural role. It is an offence to address or persuade them to supply false information, to give false testimony, to give a false conclusion, to refuse to supply information or give testimony, to translate wrongly, or to change the information, testimony or conclusion supplied. For this act the perpetrator faces a fine, or community service for a term of 180 to 240 hours, or corrective labour for a term of up to 2 years, or deprivation of liberty for a term of 1 to 3 years. For a witness this norm matters: any attempt at pressure — even a soft, friendly one — is punishable.

The full text is available on legal.ge after signing in: https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/witness-immunity-counsel-en

### How severely can false testimony be punished?

Up to 4 years; for gain — 2 to 6 years; on a grave case — 3 to 7 years; repeatedly — 4 to 8 years.

### A witness is being threatened — is that punishable?

Yes — under Article 372; bribery or coercion with violence reaches 5 to 8 years.

### What does the consultation cover?

The two risks defined by Articles 370 and 372 — one's own testimony and the threat of unlawful influence.

### Is witness immunity a procedural-law matter?

Yes — freedom from self-incrimination belongs to procedure; this page maps the two Criminal Code articles.