Georgian prisons 82% full as inmate numbers rise

As of September 2025, around 10,500 people were held in Georgian prisons, matching the record levels seen in 2024, data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) shows.

According to the data, the prison population reached 24,114 in 2011. After a change of government and an amnesty in 2012, the number dropped to 9,093. Since then, the population remained below 9,800 until mid-2024. At the beginning of 2025, it was around 9,500, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

Geostat notes that by September 2025, prisoners accounted for 0.28% of the country’s total population. Of these, 1,400 were foreign nationals, an increase of 43.4% compared to the previous year. Prisons housed 496 women, including 150 foreigners. The average age of inmates ranges from 30 to 50 years. Additionally, there were 107 minors and 86 prisoners over the age of 70. By the end of September, Georgian prisons were 81.9% full.

Among the convicted, 63.6% were serving sentences for economic crimes or crimes against persons, including murder and bodily harm. Another 26.7% were convicted for offenses against public safety and order.

By Khagan Isayev