Batumi City Court Fines Journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli Amid Protests
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
The Batumi City Court has found Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of the publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, guilty of an administrative offense and imposed a 2,000 GEL fine. The ruling, issued by Judge Salikh Shainidze, was met with strong opposition from Amaghlobeli's supporters, who shouted "Unjust court" and "Fear the people's power" inside the courtroom.
The hearing was attended by Amaghlobeli's family, colleagues, and supporters, as well as representatives from various embassies.
Mzia Amaghlobeli was initially detained administratively on January 11, during a protest near the Main Police Department in Batumi. She was released after about two hours, only to be re-arrested shortly afterward under criminal law.
Following today's ruling, her lawyer, Nona Kurdovanidze, strongly criticized the court's decision, stating that Amaghlobeli was convicted without any evidence. Kurdovanidze announced that the case will be taken to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
"This case will also go to Strasbourg, and the truth will certainly be proven," Kurdovanidze wrote on social media.
She further accused the court of staging a legal farce, claiming that Judge Salikh Shainidze intentionally created an illusion of fairness during the hearing before ultimately ruling in line with the authorities' demands.
"Salikh Shainidze, whose removal we requested, found Mzia Amaghlobeli guilty of an administrative offense and fined her 2,000 GEL for the first episode of her detention (before she was arrested on criminal charges, this case concerns those events).
Judge Shainidze used a tactic that some judges often use-during the hearing, he creates the impression that he is fairly reviewing the case, fulfilling requests, questioning witnesses, giving remarks to law enforcement representatives, and sometimes 'irritates' them with his own 'fairness' to the point where the law enforcement representatives, frustrated, ask the judge in court, 'What's going on, is this selective justice?'
However, this farce ends with what the system wants. The system wants Mzia to be convicted without evidence."
Kurdovanidze further alleged that the Ministry of Internal Affairs fabricated the case, falsifying both the arrest and the violation report, and presenting irrelevant video evidence that had nothing to do with Amaghlobeli's initial detention.
"There is not a single piece of evidence in this case that would prove Mzia committed any offense. The Ministry of Internal Affairs falsified both the arrest and the violation report, a police witness lied in court, and they presented videos taken two hours after Mzia's administrative detention, which could not possibly show anything that would justify her being punished administratively."
She reiterated her commitment to fighting the ruling, insisting that justice will ultimately prevail.
"This case will go to Strasbourg, and the truth will definitely be proven. Freedom for Mzia."
