The closing session in the case of Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti,” continues today.  Amaghlobeli will address the court with her final statement.

In a show of solidarity with Amaghlobeli, her colleagues, friends, and supporters are gathering outside Batumi City Court.

The closing session ran for more than nine hours on August 1st. Amaghlobeli’s defense attorney, Maia Mtsariashvili, delivered the closing argument, followed by rebuttal statements from both sides. Speaking to journalists after the session concluded, Mtsariashvili explained that Mzia Amaghlobeli had been standing throughout the entire day, making it unreasonable to request her final statement at that time.

Law enforcement initially detained Mzia Amaghlobeli on January 11th during a demonstration near Batumi’s Police Main Department on administrative charges, then released her on a written undertaking. She was subsequently re-arrested under Article 353 of the Criminal Code, which covers assault on a police officer and carries a sentence of 4 to 7 years imprisonment.