Court fines Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli over protest sticker
Journalist Mzia Amaglobeli fined
The Batumi City Court found Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, guilty of violating the law and fined her 2,000 lari for placing a sticker on the Batumi police building.
The ruling was issued by Judge Salih Shainidze, who is a relative of Mzia Amaglobeli. Despite this, he refused to dismiss the case at the previous hearing, stating that family ties would not influence his decision.
The courtroom erupted with noise and protest chants following the verdict. People shouted: “Slaves!”, “Fire the oligarchy!”, and “No justice, no peace!”
Before leaving the courtroom, Mzia Amaglobeli held up a sign for her colleagues and supporters that read: “Fight to the end.”
Mzia Amaglobeli, founder and media manager of independent online outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested twice during a protest outside the Batumi police station on the night of January 11–12.
She was initially detained for placing a sticker calling for a strike on the police building. A few hours later, she was released on bail.
Shortly after, Amaglobeli was arrested again on criminal charges after slapping police chief Irakli in response to repeated insults. The trial for this case is ongoing and being handled separately.
On March 18, the court held a hearing to begin reviewing the case on its merits.
Cover photo: Netgazeti
Journalist Mzia Amaglobeli fined
