Interior Ministry initiates harsher punishment for concealing, not reporting a crime

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has initiated changes to provide tougher punishments for concealing, not reporting a crime.

The punishment is also expected to become tougher for giving a false testimony and for the refusal to give a testimony.

The decision was caused by existing cooperation problems with law enforcers and current inadequate sanctions for the crimes,” the Interior Ministry stated.

The ministry says that for now concealing/not reporting of any type of crime (less grave, grave, particularly grave) is regarded as a less grave crime.

Concealing a crime is punishable by 1-3 years in prison, while not reporting a crime can mean 2-4 years in prison.

The legal initiative offered by the ministry separates concealing and not reporting of less grave and grave crimes.

"Concealing/non-notifying of grave or particularly grave crimes will become grave crimes and the allowance of parole for an individual found guilty of the crimes will not be possible,” the ministry announced.

The ministry says that giving a false testimony or the refusal to give a testimony will also be included in the category of grave crimes.

In his previous statements Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia said that a number of crime witnesses refuse to cooperate with law enforcers because of mentality which hinders the investigation process.

The ministry says that over the course of the past six months 24 individuals have been charged with concealing or non-reporting a crime, which is equal to the data from last year.