The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has said that the life of the founder and director of the publication Batumelebi/Netgazeti is at risk and has called on the authorities to take immediate action. The GYLA claims that “the system is punishing Mzia Amaglobeli for her activities, for political reasons, and not because she has broken the law”.
In a statement released on January 27, the organization, which seeks to protect Amaglobeli’s rights, called on the Ministry of Justice to immediately make a statement and periodically provide the public with information about Mzia Amaglobeli’s health. GYLA states that the prison administration is obliged to ensure comprehensive and effective control of her condition in accordance with a special protocol.
GYLA also calls on the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to “immediately terminate the case of illegal accusations against Mzia Amaglobeli and demand that the court change the preventive measure, as Mzia Amaglobeli’s actions do not contain signs of a criminal offense.”
The organization stated that “the Special Investigation Service should inform the public about the stage of the case of degrading treatment of Mzia Amaglobeli, and explain why the authority of the Chief of Batumi Police, Irakli Dgebuadze, has not been suspended.”
Mzia Amaglobeli was arrested on January 12. On January 14, Batumi City Court Judge Nino Sakhelashvili remanded her in custody. Georgian Public Defender Levan Ioseliani submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Kutaisi Court of Appeal on January 16, arguing that her detention was “unjustified.”
However, on January 21, the Kutaisi Court of Appeals rejected the appeal and kept the journalist in pre-trial detention.
On January 20, it became known that Amaglobeli had begun a hunger strike, which she continues to this day. Protests demanding her release have intensified, with journalists and activists calling for justice. On January 22, Eter Turadze, editor of Batumelebi, said she had tried unsuccessfully to communicate with Georgian Dream Parliament Chairman Shalva Papuashvili to address Amaglobeli’s health.
A rally is set to be held in support of Mzia in Tbilisi today.
