Batumi City Court has ordered preventive detention for journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, following a prosecutor’s request that did not approve of alternative measures.
Amaglobeli’s lawyer, Paata Diasamidze, had proposed an alternative – bail as a preventive measure, with the offer of GEL 100,000, however, the court rejected it. Amaglobeli faces charges under Article 353 of the Criminal Code, which implies assaulting a police officer.
For information, Amaglobeli was arrested on January 12 under the above-mentioned charges while the formal charges were filed on January 13 by prosecutors.
The case has attracted a lot of attention, with media and civil society urging for fair and transparent hearings.
