The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has charged 21 people with facilitating prostitution.

An investigation conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs established that the defendants had opened massage parlors and hotels in Tbilisi, Marneuli, and Kutaisi, where persons involved in prostitution provided sexual services to clients, and the defendants received part of the income, which was the purpose of the facility’s operation and the main source of income.

Law enforcement officers arrested 21 people based on a judge's ruling.

They were charged under Article 254, Part 2 and Subsection “a” of Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (facilitation of prostitution and provision of premises for prostitution, committed by a group with prior agreement), which provides for up to 7 years of imprisonment as a form and measure of punishment.

The Prosecutor’s Office will apply to the court within the time limit established by law to impose imprisonment on the defendants as a preventive measure.