A court in Kutaisi, Georgia, has ruled to fine each of the nine participants in a rally supporting journalist Mzia Amaglobeli 5,000 lari (nearly $1,800).
The demonstration took place on 24 January 2025 outside the home of Judge Malkhaz Okropirashvili, who had rejected Amaglobeli’s appeal to change her pretrial measure.
Mzia Amaglobeli, founder and director of independent outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested during a protest outside a police station in Batumi, southwestern Georgia, on the night of 11-12 January.
She was detained for slapping Batumi’s police chief, Irakli Dgebuadze, who had repeatedly insulted her. Amaglobeli is charged with assaulting a police officer, an offence punishable by 4 to 7 years in prison.
A court ordered her to remain in custody for two months as a pretrial measure.
In protest against her arrest, Amaglobeli has been on hunger strike in prison for nearly a month.
Among the nine protesters fined for supporting her are renowned jazz singer Nino Katamadze, psychologist MaiaTsiramua, National Award-winning educator VladimirAphazava, and Kutaisi city council member GiviTsintsadze.
The protesters insisted their demonstration was a symbolic act in response to the judge’s decision and posed no threat or inconvenience to anyone.
