Mass Events in Georgia — a Notification Regime, Not a Permit
In Georgia, assemblies and manifestations — rallies, demonstrations, street processions — are organized without prior permission. The Law on Assemblies and Manifestations requires only that a prior warning (notification) be submitted to a state body in defined circumstances, and this warning is not a permit: its purpose is to inform the state about the event and to enable it to organize safety. This page describes that procedure in detail: who must file the warning, when and where, what it must contain, which locations are off-limits, and what obligations the Ministry of Internal Affairs carries.
Precision of terminology matters here: the law establishes a warning, and the category of a "permit" does not exist in this field. An organizer does not need the authorities' consent to hold an event — it is enough to submit the warning in the manner prescribed by law and to observe its substantive requirements.
When a Warning Is Mandatory and Who May Be a Responsible Person
A prior warning is mandatory where an assembly or manifestation is held at a place where people or traffic move, or where it obstructs the movement of traffic or people. In that case the person responsible for organizing and holding the event must, according to its location, submit an appropriate signed warning to the Patrol Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Persons who have not turned 18 may not be responsible persons — this age threshold is a mandatory condition of organizer status.
The warning must be submitted to the Patrol Police Department no later than 5 days before each assembly or manifestation. For a spontaneous assembly or manifestation, late submission is permissible: the application must be filed immediately, within a reasonable period, after the responsible person learns of the planned spontaneous event, and the Ministry may set a different form and procedure for such a warning.
Content of the Warning and the Acceptance Procedure
The warning must indicate the form of the assembly or manifestation, its purpose, the venue or route, the start and end times, the date and the expected number of participants. It must also state the responsible person's identity, place of residence, contact telephone number, and the date and time of submission. The warning must further indicate the form of ensuring emergency medical assistance during the procession, and it is signed by all responsible persons.
The Patrol Police Department confirms the date and time of receipt on the copy of the warning immediately upon acceptance, and the receiving officials are obliged to explain the law's requirements to the organizers and to warn them of the liability envisaged for non-compliance. The assembly is held at the time and place indicated in the warning, in accordance with the purpose and route stated in it, and both the responsible persons and the participants must observe the requirements established by legislation.
Prohibited Locations and the Ban on Blockades
The law defines the main restrictions by location. It is prohibited to hold an assembly or manifestation in the buildings of the prosecution service, the police, penitentiary institutions and other law-enforcement bodies, and within a radius of twenty metres of their entrances, as well as in railway stations, airports and ports and within the same twenty-metre radius of their entrances. Holding events in the outer prohibited zone of a penitentiary institution and within twenty metres of it is prohibited, as is holding them in military units and facilities and within a radius of one hundred metres of their entrances. Holding an event in an enclosed space or building requires the owner's prior written consent.
The second direction is the ban on blockades: during an event it is prohibited to block the entrances of buildings, motorways, bridges, tunnels, overpasses and railways, as well as transport nodes designated by the municipality whose disruption would significantly harm the functioning of enterprises, institutions and organizations or substantially impede traffic flows. An administrative body and a court may, to protect their building's operation, impose a restriction requiring the event to be held at a distance from the building, but of no more than twenty metres — in each specific case, taking into account the circumstances and the public interest, so that the essence of the constitutional right of assembly is not disregarded.
The State's Duties Toward Organizers
The notification regime runs both ways. The Ministry of Internal Affairs must ensure appropriate conditions for organizing and holding the assembly or manifestation and must designate an alternative route for traffic or pedestrians. The Ministry is also obliged to publish the submitted warning publicly within a reasonable period and, for non-spontaneous events, the alternative time, place or route it proposes where such a decision has been taken.
Equally important: state institutions, officials and citizens may not obstruct the organization and holding of an assembly or manifestation carried out in compliance with the procedure established by law, nor the public expression by citizens of their own views. The law thus disciplines the procedure for the organizer while simultaneously imposing a positive obligation on the state to enable the event to be held safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a permit needed for a mass event?
No. The law does not recognize a prior-permit institution — only a warning (notification) to the Patrol Police Department is required where the event is held where people or traffic move or obstructs their movement.
When must the warning be submitted?
No later than 5 days before the event. For a spontaneous assembly — immediately, within a reasonable period, as soon as the responsible person learns of the event.
Can a person under 18 be an organizer?
No. A person responsible for organizing and holding an assembly or manifestation must be at least 18 years old.
Where is holding an event prohibited?
In law-enforcement buildings, stations, airports and ports and within twenty metres of their entrances; within one hundred metres of military facilities; and in enclosed spaces without the owner's written consent.
What duty does the police have toward the event?
The Ministry of Internal Affairs must ensure appropriate conditions for holding it and designate an alternative route for traffic or people, and its officers confirm receipt of the warning with date and time.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team assists organizers of mass events: preparing warnings in full compliance with the law, assessing the legality of venues and routes with regard to prohibited zones, representing clients in dealings with the authorities, and protecting organizers' interests in administrative disputes. Contact us for a recommendation tailored to your event and grounded in the law.