Forged Medical Documents and Military Service: What the Publicised Verdict Concerns

On 9 October 2026, Imedi disseminated information from the Prosecutor's Office that Tbilisi City Court found one person guilty of evading military service, assisting in the forgery and use of documents, fraud, and illegal storage of ammunition. According to the agency, the amount obtained by deception between 2024 and 2026 was GEL 24,200, and forged medical documents featured in the case. The report mentions a four-year prison sentence. The full verdict and its appeal status are not provided in this source.

Why there are several different legal issues

Part 1 of Article 356 of the Criminal Code concerns a conscript's evasion of military service, including through simulation of illness or by means of a forged document. Part 1 of Article 362 covers the manufacture, acquisition, storage for the appropriate purpose, sale, or use of a forged official document. These norms describe different actions.

Article 25, cited by the Prosecutor's Office, concerns the responsibility of an accomplice. The role of an organiser, instigator, and assistant must be determined by their specific actions and their own fault. Assisting someone in obtaining a lawful medical assessment and assisting in a crime are not the same. For legal assessment, it is important whether the person knew about the forgery or deception and what they were doing.

Fraud and the Combination of Sentences

Article 180 of the Criminal Code concerns the fraudulent appropriation of another's property or the acquisition of a property right. The disseminated report describes several episodes, group actions, and attempts. Assessing a specific episode requires understanding the content of the deception, the circumstances of receiving the money, the role of the participants, and the court's reasoning.

The four-year sentence mentioned in the report is a court decision related to several crimes. It does not mean that the use of every forged medical document automatically results in a four-year sentence. The full verdict is required for calculating the sentence and assessing individual charges, including considering the episode related to ammunition.

Health Assessment is Not a Crime in Itself

Investigation of a genuine health condition, submission of a proper document, or challenging a decision of an authorised body in the manner prescribed by law does not in itself constitute proof of the described crimes. This article does not establish specific medical grounds for exemption from military service. Such grounds and procedures must be verified according to the relevant current regulations and the individual's condition.

Verdict and Judgment that has Entered into Legal Force

Here, the court's finding of guilt is described based on the Prosecutor's Office report. Its finality has not been verified. Paragraph 5 of Article 31 of the Constitution links the presumption of innocence to a guilty verdict that has entered into legal force. Article 6 of the European Convention, binding on Georgia, establishes guarantees of a fair hearing and defence; it is not a basis for independently determining the outcome of a case from a public statement.

The report indicates the period of actions as 2024–2026. Under Articles 2 and 3 of the Criminal Code, for each episode, the law in force at the time of the action and the retroactive effect of a lighter law are important. Article 7 of the Convention also prohibits the imposition of a heavier penalty than that which was applicable at the time the offence was committed. The description of articles in this article relies on the text in force as of 9 October 2026; without the full verdict, the correspondence of episode dates and specific editions cannot be fully verified.

What the Current Report Provides at This Stage

The report provides an opportunity to explain the publicly disseminated verdict and the cited articles. An independent assessment requires the full court act, a description of the episodes, and information on appeals. The general distinction between obtaining money by deception and a contractual problem is discussed in Explanation of Fraud and Breach of Contract.

Legislation verified as of 9 October 2026.

This article is for informational purposes, based on the cited public sources, and does not constitute individual legal advice.