Georgian Constitutional Court refuses to review judge’s appeal against administrative arrests
Georgia’s Constitutional Court has refused to review a local judge’s request that two pieces of legislation providing for administrative detention in specific cases be declared unconstitutional.
The Constitutional Court’s press service announced the court’s rejection of Judge Vladimer Khuchua’s request on Monday.
The judge had earlier suspended several administrative cases under the laws, sending them to the Constitutional Court to be reviewed.
According to the submission published on the court’s website, Khuchua was arguing against the constitutionality of two administrative offences code articles that prescribe administrative detention for failing to pay fines due to ‘social situations’ in the case of repeat offences. According to RFE/RL, Khuchua believed that the provision violated the principle of equality as enshrined by Georgia’s constitution.
The court, in turn, argued that Khuchua ‘incorrectly perceived’ his role as a judge by submitting a motion for a constitutional review of the articles, stating that he had not personally presided over cases involving repeated offences under those administrative offences.
Khuchua, who presides over the Tetritskaro District Court in southern Georgia, submitted a request for a constitutional review of several legislative changes in early December 2025.
Among those were the mandatory imposition of administrative detention if a person commits a repeat offence and has not paid the fine for the first violation, and the revocation of a person’s driver’s license and other rights for the illegal possession of small amounts of cannabis or marijuana.
The Constitutional Court has yet to issue a statement rejecting or accepting Khuchua’s request for review of articles pertaining to marijuana possession.
It has, however, accepted the substantive consideration of a separate, similar case submitted by Badri Niparishvili, also from the Tetriskaro District Court. In the case file, it also announced it was merging Khuchua’s request with Niparishvili’s, in addition to three others.
According to the court’s website, its ruling will be published within 15 days.
Mikheil Gvadzabia
