---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-11-4. Advocating overthrow of government.
collection: code
id: 16-11-4
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-11-4 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-11-4
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-11-4.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-11-4/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch7-11-(v14a)-2018-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=aecbfe9c_0#page=742
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-11.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-11-3.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-11-5.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY / TREASON AND OTHER SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-11-4. Advocating overthrow of government.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) ‘‘Organization’’ means any corporation, company, partnership, association, trust, foundation, fund, club, society, committee, political party, or any group of persons, whether or not incorporated, permanently or temporarily associated together for joint action or advancement of views on any subject.

(2) ‘‘Subversive organization’’ means any organization which engages in or advocates, abets, advises, or teaches, or which has a purpose of engaging in or advocating, abetting, advising, or teaching activities intended to overthrow, to destroy, or to assist in the overthrow or destruction of the government of the state or of any political subdivision thereof by force or violence.

(b) A person commits the offense of advocating the overthrow of the government if he knowingly and willfully commits any of the following acts:

(1) Advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the state or any political subdivision thereof by force or violence;

(2) Prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, exhibits, or displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the state or of any political subdivision thereof by force or violence;

(3) Assists in the formation, participates in the management, or contributes to the support of any subversive organization, knowing the purpose thereof;

(4) Becomes a member or continues to be a member of a subversive organization, knowing the purpose thereof;

(5) Destroys any books, records, or files or secretes any funds in this state of a subversive organization, knowing the organization to be such; or

(6) Conspires with one or more persons to commit any of the acts prohibited by this Code section.

(c) A person convicted of violating any provision of this Code section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $20,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years, or both.

## History

Code 1933, § 26-2204, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1.

## Cross References

Constitutional guarantee of free speech and press, Ga. Const. 1983, Art. I, Sec. I, Para. V.