The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Theodoros Roussopoulos, has called on the Georgian government to release Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, who has been imprisoned under controversial charges.
In an interview with RFE/RL, Roussopoulos condemned the imprisonment of Amaglobeli, who has been on a hunger strike for 20 days in protest of her detention. “What is happening to her in prison now is very close to torture,” he said.
Amaglobeli faces a prison sentence of 4 to 7 years for allegedly slapping a police officer – a charge her legal team has dismissed as baseless. The PACE president reiterated that the Georgian government must address the case in accordance with international human rights standards.
“This is unjust, unjust,” Roussopoulos stressed, urging the Georgian Dream government to release the journalist. He also underscored that such actions would demonstrate Georgia’s commitment to respecting human rights and democracy.
Roussopoulos reminded the Georgian authorities that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights.
“Every country that is a member of this great organization must fulfill its obligations,” he added, referring to the values of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights that underpin the Convention.
