The Right of Public Assembly — Constitutional Basis and the Law's Essence
The right to assemble publicly is a fundamental right recognized by the Constitution of Georgia: persons may assemble publicly and unarmed, without prior permission, both indoors and in the open air. The Law on Assemblies and Manifestations regulates the exercise of this right and establishes that it does not extend to persons who are members of the defence forces or of a body responsible for state or public security — the law enumerates these bodies in detail, from prosecution and police officers to officers of the special services.
This page describes the right of assembly and manifestation precisely from the standpoint of the right and its limitations: what an assembly and a manifestation are, when a restriction of the right is lawful, where and how an event may be prohibited or restricted, what participants are forbidden to do, and how a decision of the authorities can be challenged. The procedural details of organizing an event — the warning procedure and deadlines — are a separate topic covered on our other page.