Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Disclosure of data about ongoing investigation procedures with regard to bank account monitoring and/or sequestration has become criminal offence. The Parliament of Georgia passed relevant amendments to the law on June 12 and the information was published on Sakanonmdeblo Matsne yesterday that means it has already gone into force.

According to the new regulation, “disclosure of data about ongoing monitoring of bank accounts will be punished either by fine or by imprisonment up to three years. Disclosure of data about ongoing investigation procedures about sequestration of bank accounts before the information is requested will result into fining of account-holder or his/her imprisonment up to three years.”

As for the monitoring of bank accounts, this procedure went into force in November of 2011.

According to this regulation, if there is a verified assumption that a person carries out illegal activities via bank or/and prosecutor is authorized to submit solicitation to the court of the relevant district based on the notification of either chief prosecutor or his/her deputy and request to issue judgment about monitoring of the bank account.

Bank is entitled to cooperate with investigation and provide it with all information about transaction operations carried out by one or several bank accounts.

Monitoring period of bank accounts shall not exceed the time necessary to obtain evidence for criminal case.