Georgian activists demand Amaglobeli's release

The NGO “Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association” has demanded to stop the criminal prosecution of Mziya Amaglobeli and to fire the Batumi police boss who had detained the journalist.

On January 12, ten persons were detained in Batumi, including Ms Amaglobeli. She was detained because of a poster she had pasted on the wall calling for a general strike. Amaglobeli explained that she had been caught in a crush and, while trying to escape, had brushed against Batumi police boss, Irakli Dgebuadze, with her hand. On January 13, she was charged with assaulting a police officer; Amaglobeli faces up to seven years in jail.

After her detention, Amaglobeli was threatened with criminal charges. In the police building, she was not allowed to use the toilet or drink; and they ignored her request to see an advocate, the NGO has added.

NGO activists have pointed out that Amaglobeli’s actions (slapping) cannot be qualified under the criminal article on assaulting a policeman.

“Amaglobeli’s actions could not even cause any physical pain, which excludes criminal liability not only under this article, but also under other, milder articles of the Criminal Code. Thus, criminal charges against Amaglobeli take the form of intimidation and political repressions," the NGO’s statement says.

Nino Zuriashvili, the founder of the Monitor Studio, has called Amaglobeli "a unique journalist who has never collaborated with politicians." "Authorities’ plan was to stop her; therefore, they detained her," she has expressed her opinion.