Prepared by Messenger Staff
Batumi Court Keeps Journalist Mzia Amaglobeli in Custody
Mzia Amaglobeli, co-founder and director of Netgazeti/Batumelebi, will remain in custody following a ruling by Batumi City Court Judge Viktor Metreveli. The decision was made during a pre-trial hearing on March 4, where the court reviewed the possibility of revising her preventive measure.
During the hearing, it was revealed that Amaglobeli's case includes a detective's report from February 15, which alleges that she planned to attack a police officer and communicated about it over the phone. Based on this claim, the prosecutor's office requested access to data from Amaglobeli's phone.
Amaglobeli rejected the charges in court, calling her detention unjust and politically motivated.
"I do not agree with the charges. I consider myself an unlawful prisoner. Fortunately, dictatorship has not yet fully gained control in our homeland. Therefore, I believe that I and the prisoners of conscience will be able to prove our innocence," she stated.
Kobakhidze Dismisses Venice Commission's Criticism of Protest Law Amendments
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has rejected the Venice Commission's concerns over recent amendments to Georgia's Code of Administrative Offenses and the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations, dismissing the body as "one of the most frivolous" European institutions.
The Venice Commission concluded that the amendments impose excessive restrictions on freedom of assembly and other fundamental rights, arguing that they fail to meet principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality. The commission urged Georgian authorities to revise the legislation.
Kobakhidze, however, dismissed the criticism outright, claiming the commission's conclusions "cannot be taken seriously."
"There is absolutely no legal basis for their request. In general, I can say that the Venice Commission is one of the most frivolous European structures. Even within the broader frivolity of European institutions, the Venice Commission stands out," he stated.
According to Kobakhidze, the commission has shifted from a legal expertise center to a political body serving the 'global war party.'
"Without any legal justification, it writes political conclusions, which is not its role. We cannot take their conclusions seriously. If they make legal assessments, we will consider them, but politics is not the business of the Venice Commission."
