TBILISI, August 5 – A Georgian court will deliver a verdict on August 6 in the high-profile case of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, who is charged with assaulting a senior police officer during a protest earlier this year.
Amaghlobeli, the founder of newspapers Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested in January after slapping a police chief in the face during a protest in Batumi. She has been in detention for more than six months and faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.
The opposition parties and former President Salome Zourabichvili have expressed strong support for Amaghlobeli. They consider the case politically motivated and accuse the Georgian Dream (GD) government of trying to suppress critical media. Supporters gathered outside the court this week, chanting slogans and briefly blocking traffic in Batumi.
In her final courtroom statement, Amaghlobeli rejected a plea deal as “insulting” and said that framing the incident as a serious assault was disproportionate. She accused authorities of attempting to discredit her and likened the charges to a political vendetta, according to Rezonansi.
The ruling Georgian Dream party defends the charges, arguing that assaulting a police officer must have legal consequences regardless of the circumstances. Officials say such actions would be punished in any democratic country.
The case is being closely watched as a test for the country’s judicial independence and media freedom.
