TBILISI, August 6 – A court in the Georgian city of Batumi has sentenced journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli to two years in prison, in a case that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition groups and rights advocates.
Amaghlobeli, founder of the independent outlet Batumelebi, was initially charged with attacking a police official during a January protest. Prosecutors had pursued charges that carried a sentence of four to seven years. However, the judge reclassified the offense to a lesser charge—obstruction or violence against a public official—under Article 353 of the criminal code.
The verdict, delivered by Judge Nino Sakhelashvili, imposes the maximum sentence under the new charge. The judge also noted that Amaghlobeli has the right to request a presidential pardon.
Opposition figures have drawn attention to the case as part of a pattern of pressure against critics of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Government supporters argue that it was a straightforward case of assaulting a police officer.
