The article reports on the pre-trial detention of Mzia Amaghlobeli, a journalist working for the Batumelebi publication in Georgia. She was remanded in custody until March 4 by the Kutaisi City Court after a prosecutor’s request. The defense requested her release on bail, but it was rejected.
The article also mentions that the Rule of Law Coalition, a watchdog organization, has criticized the court for failing to justify the need for preventive custody. They argued that the justifications provided by the judge were “abstract, formulaic, and subjective.”
Additionally, the Public Defender of Georgia submitted an Amicus Curiae brief to the Kutaisi Court of Appeals regarding the decision to remand Amaghlobeli in preventive custody. The brief stated that the evidence to justify pre-trial detention was insufficient and irrelevant.
The article provides background information on Batumelebi, a reputable and oldest publication in Georgia, which has faced harassment since its inception. It has won numerous awards and is considered one of the flagship independent news outlets.