The Issue of Distinction between Information on Private Life and the Secrets of Personal Life

Authors

  • Kristine Kvekvetsia Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

Keywords:

private life, right to privacy, information on private life, secrets of personal life.

Abstract

The protection of private life is one of the broadest human rights, for which neither legislation nor legal doctrine provides an exhaustive definition.

Numerous articles of the Criminal Code of Georgia are dedicated to the protection of private life. Among them, however, Articles 157 and 157¹ are the most closely related, with one protecting information on private life and the other protecting the secrets of personal life. Distinction between them has not only theoretical but also significant practical importance, given that the penalties assigned to each article diverge substantially.

Based on legislation, legal doctrine, and judicial decisions, this paper will review which matters may be classified as information on private life and which as the secrets of personal life.

Author Biography

Kristine Kvekvetsia, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

PhD student, at the Faculty of Law of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Invited Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Prosecutor of the Research and Innovation Unit of the Department of Supervision of Prosecutorial Activities and Strategic Development, General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia

References

1. Constitution of Georgia, Parliament of Georgia, 24 August 1995 (In Georgian).

2. Criminal Code of Georgia, Parliament of Georgia, 22 July 1999 (In Georgian).

3. European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Rome, 1950.

4. Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection, Legislative Herald of Georgia, 14 June 2023 (In Georgian).

5. Law of Georgia on Amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia, Legislative Herald of Georgia, 3 June 2016 (In Georgian).

6. Explanatory Note to the Draft Law of Georgia on Amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia <https://info.parliament.ge/file/1/BillReviewContent/115383> [24 March 2026] (In Georgian).

7. Bichia M., “The Idea of Privacy Protection from Its Origin to the Present Day,” in: Revaz Gogshalidze 65, Khrustali V., Mefarishvili G. (eds.), Tbilisi, 2022, p. 453 (In Georgian).

8. Bokhashvili, B., Khutsishvili, K., Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights, Tbilisi, 2004, 260 (In Georgian).

9. Dvalidze I., Crimes against Human Rights and Freedoms According to the Criminal Code of Georgia (Commentary), Tbilisi, 2019, 397, 419–422 (In Georgian).

10. Todua N., Criminal Law – Special Part, Crimes Against the Person, Book I, Part I, 8th ed., Tbilisi, 2023, 487–488, 492 (In Georgian).

11. Korkelia, K., Kurdadze, I., International Human Rights Law according to the European Convention on Human Rights, Tbilisi, 2004, 155–196 (In Georgian).

12. Kublashvili, K., Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, 6th ed., Tbilisi, 2022, 101–102 (In Georgian).

13. Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia, Report on the Situation of Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms in Georgia, Tbilisi, 2016, 408-409 (In Georgian).

14. Skhirtladze N., Legal Aspects of Personal Data Protection, Tbilisi, 2017, p. 155 (In Georgian).

15. Judgment of the Zugdidi District Court of 5 August 2025, No 1/359 25 (In Georgian).

16. Judgment of the Tbilisi City Court of 12 March 2025, No 1 483 25 (In Georgian).

17. Judgment of the Kutaisi City Court of 16 July 2024, No 1/25 24 (In Georgian).

18. Judgmen of the Kutaisi Court of Appeal of 4 July 2024, No 1/b 802 22 (In Georgian).

19. Judgment of the Tbilisi City Court of 5 December 2023, No 1/4561 23 (In Georgian).

20. Judgment of the Zugdidi District Court of 19 September 2023, No 1/446 22 (In Georgian).

21. Judgment of the Tbilisi City Court of 13 September 2023, No 1/2623 23 (In Georgian).

22. Decision of the Supreme Court of Georgia of 21 March 2023, No 1112ap 22 (In Georgian).

23. Judgment of the Supreme Court of Georgia of 2 March 2023, No 850ap 22 (In Georgian).

24. Judgment of the Khelvachauri District Court of 6 August 2022, No 820100121005324930 (In Georgian).

25. Judgment of the Kutaisi Court of Appeal of 10 June 2022, No 1/b 137 2020 (In Georgian).

26. Judgment of the Tbilisi City Court of 30 October 2020, No 1/2878 20 (In Georgian).

27. Judgment of the Akhaltsikhe District Court of 6 May 2020, No 3575778 1/075 20 (In Georgian).

28. Judgment of the Tbilisi City Court of 11 November 2019, No 1/3219 19 (In Georgian).

29. Judgment of the Khelvachauri District Court of 11 September 2019, No 1 108/2019 (In Georgian).

30. Judgment of the Tbilisi City Court of 25 February 2019, No 1/3206 18 (In Georgian).

31. Aichinger W., Fuchs E. (Hrsg.), Geheimnis und Geheimhaltung. Themen der Geschichte, Historische Sozialkunde 45/3, VGS, Wien 2015, 4, 5.

32. Fomina, L.Yu., Protection of the Right to Respect for Private and Family Life in European Court of Human Rights, European Research Studies Journal, Vol. XIX, Issue 3B, 2016, 101-102.

33. Holvast J., History of privacy, In: The History of Information Security, 1st ed., A Comprehensive Handbook, Editors: Leeuw K. de and Bergstra J., 2007, 741-742. doi:10.1016/b978-044451608-4/50028-6.

34. BeckOK StGB/Heuchemer, 67. Ed. 1.11.2025, StGB § 201a Rn. 11.3, 18, 53.

35. Gerhalter, L., Konventionelle Geheimnisse Tagebücher von Jugendlichen in der ersten Hälfte des 20 Jahrhunderts, Historische Sozialkunde 45/3, VGS, Wien 2015. 26.

36. Ortega Ortega v. Spain, № 44448/20, 22.10.2024, §53.

37. López Ribalda and Others v. Spain [GC], №1874/13 and 8567/13, 17.10.2019. §§ 87-89.

38. Couderc and Hachette Filipacchi Associés v. France, №40454/07, 10.11.2015, § 123.

39. Von Hannover v. Germany no. 59320/00, 24.06.2004, § 68.

40. Campmany and Lopez Galiacho Perona v. Spain (dec.), no. 54224/00, ECHR 2000‑XII

41. Niemietz v. Germany, №13710/88, 16.12.1992, §29.

42. Bundesverfassungsgericht, Judgment of the First Senate, 26 February 2008, 1 BvR 1602/07, 1 BvR 1606/07, 1 BvR 1626/07 §47.

Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Kvekvetsia, K. (2026). The Issue of Distinction between Information on Private Life and the Secrets of Personal Life. Journal of Law , (1). Retrieved from https://jlaw.tsu.ge/index.php/JLaw/article/view/11878

Issue

Section

Articles

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.