04:53, 22 July 2025

Georgian Revenue Service Seizes Batumelebi Accounts

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The Georgian Revenue Service linked the arrest of Batumelebi's accounts to the existence of debt, but journalists are sure that the authorities want to close the publication and put pressure on its founder Mzia Amaglobeli.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" wrote, a court in Batumi is considering a criminal case against Mzia Amaglobeli for an attack on the city police chief. The journalist faces up to seven years in prison. Amaglobeli did not admit guilt. On June 23, the court left the journalist in custody. According to her colleagues, during her imprisonment, Amaglobeli became practically blind in one eye, and her vision in the other eye was greatly impaired.

On the night of January 12, 10 people were detained in Batumi, including the director of the publications "Batumelebi" and "Netgazeti" Mzia Amaglobeli. The reason for the detention was a poster she had pasted on the wall calling for a general strike. When Amaglobeli was released, she found herself in a crush where an incident occurred involving the chief of the Batumi police, Irakli Dgebuadze. As follows from the silent video published by the pro-government TV channel Imedi, Amaglobeli, surrounded and held by police officers and people in dark clothes, said something to Dgebuadze, who responded and turned away. Amaglobeli sharply pulled him back and slapped him. After that, the journalist was detained again. Details are given in the Caucasian Knot report "The Case of Mzia Amaglobeli: Circumstances of the Arrest and the Campaign to Protect the Journalist".

The Georgian Revenue Service has issued a ruling to freeze the accounts of the Batumelebi newspaper, the official reason being debt, Georgia Online wrote on July 21.

The publication itself believes that the freezing of the accounts is connected with the desire to close the media outlet. "Moreover, this is pressure on Mzia Amaglobeli to achieve her capitulation. In a few days, Judge Nino Namestvili will make a decision regarding her," the publication says.

It is reported that the day before, representatives of the revenue service contacted the publication and warned that there was a debt that needed to be paid off within five days. Otherwise, they threatened to freeze accounts, then seize property and enforce the debt. Currently, Batumelebi's debt to the budget is 47 thousand lari, the main debt of 136 thousand lari was paid off at the beginning of the month. In addition, the revenue service calculated interest in the amount of 126 thousand lari and a fine of 109 thousand lari. "Batumelebi" acknowledged the debt and paid the corresponding amounts monthly to pay it off.

"Batumelebi" contacted the revenue service with a request to provide a debt repayment schedule, but they were refused, and then the accounts were frozen.

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Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/413227