TBILISI, August 4 – Mzia Amaghlobeli delivered her final statement in court Monday, as supporters gathered outside and in the courtroom; among them, former president Salome Zourabichvili.
The cause has drawn international attention, and many observers view it as a test of judicial independence in the country.
Amaghlobeli, who co-founded the independent newspapers Batumelebi and Netgazeti, is accused of slapping a senior police officer during a protest in Batumi in January. Prosecutors have charged her with assaulting a law enforcement official, a crime punishable by years in prison.
In her courtroom address, Amaghlobeli described her arrest as humiliating and abusive, recounting that she was held barefoot in a police station, subjected to verbal threats, and spat on.
She criticized the ruling party for what she called a broader campaign of discrediting critical voices, alleging that she has been labeled a “foreign agent” and linked to a so-called “Global War Party”, a term frequently used by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
Government supporters say no one should be above the law and accuse Amaghlobeli of attacking a police officer.
Opposition groups and some Western diplomats have expressed support for her, viewing the charges as politically motivated. Outside the courthouse in Batumi, activists held banners, one reading “Freedom for Mzia”, while former president Salome Zurabishvili attended the hearing in a symbolic show of concern.
Amaghlobeli also spoke in support of another detained activist, Nino Datashvili, criticizing what she called the regime’s use of psychiatric evaluation as a tool of repression.
A verdict in the case is expected on August 6.
