Court rejects request for the release of Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli from custody
Court denies release of Mzia Amaglobeli
A Georgian court has deemed unacceptable the request to cancel the pretrial detention of Mzia Amaglobeli, founder and director of Batumelebi and Netgazeti outlets. The journalist, who has been on a hunger strike for over a month in protest of her arrest, remains in prison.
According to Georgia’s Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), the court’s decision regarding Mzia Amaglobeli is another unlawful and unjustified ruling.
“There are no grounds to justify her imprisonment. These decisions show the Georgian judiciary writing its own history of lawlessness,” the organization said.
GYLA, which represents Amaglobeli’s interests, is appealing the decision to the Court of Appeals.
Mzia Amaglobeli, founder and director of the online publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested for slapping Tbilisi’s police chief Irakli Dgebuadze, who had repeatedly insulted her. Amaglobeli faces 4 to 7 years in prison on the charges.
A two-month pretrial detention was imposed as a preventive measure. The journalist, who began a hunger strike immediately after her arrest, has now been fasting for 34 days. She has been in the hospital for the past week, with her doctor warning that the risk of organ failure is increasing daily.
On February 13, Mzia Amaglobeli’s lawyers filed a petition for her release from custody. They argue that there is no valid reason for the prosecution’s request for her pretrial detention.
The prosecution claims that if Amaglobeli is released, there is a risk of her pressuring witnesses or committing further crimes. They also stated that they need to question the participants of the protest during which she was arrested—those same witnesses she allegedly might influence.
However, her lawyers contend that the only testimonies in the case are from Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze and six police officers, with no neutral witnesses questioned by the prosecution.
One of her lawyers, Maia Mtsariashvili, noted that under international standards, imprisonment should only be considered for serious crimes against life, health, or property, which does not apply in this case. She argued that Amaglobeli’s actions do not constitute a criminal offense, as slapping someone cannot be classified as assault.
Additionally, Mtsariashvili highlighted a conflict of interest, as the victim, Dgebuadze, the police witnesses, and the investigator handling the case all come from the same law enforcement hierarchy.
