**Western Leaders Call for Release of Jailed Georgian Journalist**
A group of politicians and lawmakers from Europe and the United States have spoken out against the detention of a Georgian journalist, Mzia Amaghlobeli. They are calling for her immediate release.
Amaghlobeli is the director of the online media outlet Batumelebi/Netgazeti. She has been on hunger strike for 24 days, protesting her arrest and treatment by authorities. Her health condition has worsened during this time, but she still remains in detention.
The politicians, who include members of European Parliament, have expressed deep concern over Amaghlobeli’s situation. They say that any consequences to her health are the responsibility of the Georgian government.
They also criticized the ruling party, Georgian Dream (GD), for trying to distort the circumstances surrounding Amaghlobeli’s arrest and for ignoring her medical needs. The politicians accused GD of attempting to silence Amaghlobeli by calling her “foreign-funded” and of trying to deflect attention from the country’s pro-European protests.
**Support for President and Democratic Order**
The statement also reaffirmed support for President Salome Zurabishvili, who is seen as the only legitimate institution in Georgia. The politicians called on the ruling party to restore democratic order and return the country to its Euro-Atlantic path.
They also demanded the repeal of laws restricting freedom of assembly and the holding of new elections. In addition, they called for sanctions against key figures in the ruling Georgian Dream party, including Bidzina Ivanishvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, Vakhtang Gomelauri, and Sulkhan Tamazashvili.
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