The Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee reviewed, at the II reading and under an expedited procedure, and approved amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia.

According to the draft law, an adult’s participation, with prior knowledge, together with a minor as an accomplice or co-perpetrator in the commission of a crime, or an adult’s deliberate involvement of a minor in the commission of a crime, will constitute an aggravating circumstance for all relevant offences provided for under the Criminal Code.

The bill establishes that, where such an aggravating circumstance exists, the term of fixed-term imprisonment imposed for the offence must exceed the minimum sentence prescribed by the Criminal Code for the committed crime by at least one year.

In cases where the minor involved has not attained the age of fourteen, the imposed sentence must be not less than two-thirds of the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed for the relevant offence, and at the same time must exceed the minimum prescribed sentence by at least one year.

The initiators of the draft law are Members of Parliament of Georgia: Rati Ionatamishvili, Archil Gorduladze, Tornike Cheishvili, Sumbat Kyureghiani, Davit Matikashvili, Akaki Aladashvili, Tengiz Sharmanashvili, Aleksandre Tabatadze, Aluda Ghudushauri, Salome Jinjorlava, Irakli Cheishvili, Savalan Mirzoev, Tornike Fagava, and Zurab Kadagidze.