Home > 1. The principles of Europe's electoral heritage > GEORGIA - Joint Opinion on the Election Code
 
 
 
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Paragraph 21
 

Article 5.2 provides, in part, that persons, who are in a penitentiary institution in accordance with a court judgement, are not eligible to take part in elections. Thus, the right to vote is denied based on any conviction regardless of the nature of the underlying crime. The right to vote is a fundamental Human Right, which means that only convictions on only serious criminal offences could lead to suspension of voting rights.[9] Thus, it is recommended that Article 5 be amended to exclude from voting rights only those persons who are in prison on a conviction for a serious criminal offence. Consideration could be given to provide details regarding what constitutes a serious crime, such as length of sentence and gravity of offence.