Overview
- On August 6, the Batumi City Court found Amaghlobeli guilty of “resistance, threats or violence” against a government official after she slapped Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze during a January protest, imposing a two-year sentence.
- Rights groups including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders criticized the trial for procedural violations and admitted police abuse that went uninvestigated, such as verbal assaults and denial of medical care.
- The Georgian government froze Batumelebi’s bank accounts following the conviction, jeopardizing the independent outlet’s operations and reflecting broader measures to curb critical media.
- Amaghlobeli has lodged an appeal challenging the verdict and charge reduction from assault to resistance, as she maintains her actions were in response to police provocation.
- Over 20 diplomatic missions and the European Commission have condemned the conviction, with EU officials warning they could revoke Georgia’s visa-free travel privileges if democratic standards do not improve by September.