# Presidential pardon and amnesty in Georgia — how to apply A pardon and an amnesty are two different ways of being fully or partly released from a sentence. We help convicted people and their families find out which applies to them and prepare the request. - Confidential - Georgian · English · Russian - Free first consultation - Courts of all instances A pardon is an individual act: under the Constitution, convicted persons are pardoned by the President of Georgia. Requests are first reviewed by the Pardon Commission, and the President makes the final decision. The criteria and procedure are set by the President and change from time to time. An amnesty is declared by Parliament through a law and applies to everyone who meets its criteria — without an individual request. So the key question is whether the amnesty law in force covers the specific article and sentence. ## What to know - A pardon can release a person fully or partly from a sentence or reduce it - A pardon request can be made by the convicted person or a family member - Conduct, compensating the victim, health and family situation all matter in a request - An amnesty needs no request — but whether it applies can be disputed in a case - Alternatives: early release on parole or replacing the rest of the sentence with a lighter one ## Our services - Assessing whether an amnesty applies to your case - Preparing the pardon request and documents - References and evidence - Parole as an alternative - Advice for the family - Removing the criminal record after the sentence ## Questions & answers ### What is the difference between a pardon and an amnesty? A pardon is granted by the President to a specific person on request. An amnesty is declared by Parliament through a law and applies to everyone who meets its conditions. ### Who can request a pardon? The convicted person or a family member. The Pardon Commission reviews the request and the President decides. ### Is there an amnesty in 2026? An amnesty can only be declared by a law passed by Parliament. If such a law is adopted, we will check whether it covers your article and sentence. ## Legal basis - [Constitution of Georgia](https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/30346) - [Criminal Code of Georgia](https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/16426) Official texts (in Georgian) — Legislative Herald of Georgia, matsne.gov.ge. ## Related topics - [#Criminal law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/criminal-defense-lawyer/) - [#Your rights](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/what-to-do-if-detained/) - - [Criminal defence lawyer](https://mmlaw.ge/en/criminal-defense-lawyer/) - - [Cybercrime lawyer](https://mmlaw.ge/en/cybercrime-lawyer/) - - [Juvenile lawyer in Georgia: legal help for minors](https://mmlaw.ge/en/juvenile-justice-lawyer/) - - [Detained in Georgia? Your rights and what to do](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/what-to-do-if-detained/) - - [Police search in Georgia: your rights and what to do](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/police-search-your-rights/) - - [Fraud charges in Georgia: penalties and your defence](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/fraud-charges-in-georgia/) - - [Theft charges in Georgia: penalties and your rights](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/theft-charges-in-georgia/) - - [Domestic violence charges in Georgia: what to know](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/domestic-violence-charges-georgia/) Practice areas ## Other practice areas - [Criminal defense](https://mmlaw.ge/en/criminal-defense-lawyer/) — Defense at every stage — from investigation and arrest to trial and appeal. - [Drug offences](https://mmlaw.ge/en/drug-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in cases of buying, possessing, selling and importing drugs — and against fines and administrative detention. - [Cybercrime](https://mmlaw.ge/en/cybercrime-lawyer/) — Defense in cybercrime cases and help for victims of online fraud, hacked accounts and blackmail. - [Property crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/property-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in theft, robbery, fraud, extortion, embezzlement and misappropriation cases. - [Economic crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/economic-crime-lawyer/) — Defence against tax evasion, money laundering, customs and other economic charges. - [Corruption and official crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/corruption-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in bribery, trading in influence and abuse of official power cases. - [Violent crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/violent-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in assault, bodily injury, threats and homicide cases — including self-defence. - [Juvenile justice](https://mmlaw.ge/en/juvenile-justice-lawyer/) — Specialised representation of minors, focused on their rights and future. - [Civil litigation](https://mmlaw.ge/en/civil-litigation-lawyer/) — Contract, property and damages disputes — negotiated or argued in court. - [Administrative law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/administrative-law-lawyer/) — Challenging decisions of public bodies, fines, permits and licences. - [Labor disputes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/employment-lawyer/) — Unlawful dismissal, unpaid wages and employment contracts — for employees and employers. - [Corporate law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/corporate-lawyer/) — Company formation, contracts, compliance and shareholder matters. - [Real estate](https://mmlaw.ge/en/real-estate-lawyer/) — Due diligence, purchase agreements, registration and property disputes. - [Family law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/family-lawyer/) — Divorce, custody, alimony and division of property — handled with discretion. - [Inheritance](https://mmlaw.ge/en/inheritance-lawyer/) — Accepting an inheritance, the certificate of inheritance, wills and disputes between heirs. - [Intellectual property](https://mmlaw.ge/en/intellectual-property-lawyer/) — Trademarks, copyright and protection of your creative and business assets. --- Source: https://mmlaw.ge/en/pardon-and-amnesty/ · MMLAW · +995 551 00 43 00 · info@mmlaw.ge