A protest in support of Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti media outlets, is currently taking place outside Batumi City Court. The substantive hearing of her criminal case is set to resume today.

Judge Nino Sakhelashvili will hear the defence witnesses, an expert, and one of the protest participants, Akaki Gvianidze, a representative of the Gakharia for Georgia party.

As Nana Kvachadze, editor of Batumelebi media outlet, stated, today the judge has the procedural authority to review the necessity of Amaglobeli’s imprisonment.

“Let’s see how the proceedings unfold today. Mzia should not be in custody, unequivocally. That’s why we assert that she is an illegal prisoner; there is no basis for her continued detention. Today, Judge Nino Sakhelashvili, whose personal responsibility is precisely Mzia’s custody, has an opportunity to reconsider her decision and release Mzia Amaglobeli. However, it is probably unlikely to have optimistic expectations from her.

Last week, the case of the father of the Minister of Internal Affairs, who wounded an 18-year-old boy and was released on bail by the judge, became publicly known. I would ask Nino Sakhelashvili: in this context, will you again keep Mzia Amaglobeli in custody for slapping him?” stated Nana Kvachadze.

Additionally, representatives of the European diplomatic corps are expected to attend the proceedings today.

Mzia Amaglobeli has been in custody for nearly five months. The charge of assaulting a police officer carries a potential prison sentence of four to seven years.