Lawyers urge Kutaisi Court to dismiss case against arrested media manager Amaglobeli due to ‘fake evidence’

Lawyers for media manager Mzia Amaglobeli have accused police of fabricating evidence against her and called on the Kutaisi Court of Appeal in western Georgia to dismiss an administrative offense case stemming from a fine imposed by the Batumi City Court under Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. The case will be reviewed without an oral hearing on Tuesday. 

Nona Kurdovanidze, Chairwoman of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA), claimed that Amaglobeli was being targeted due to her journalistic activities and active civic stance. One of the cases against her stems from an incident on January 11, 2025 during a protest outside the Adjara Autonomous Republic Police Department building. According to Kurdovanidze, Amaglobeli was initially arrested for placing a protest sticker on a wall, but the police allegedly falsified the arrest report to accuse her of verbal abuse under Article 173.

Kurdovanidze further claimed that the Batumi City Court’s decision on March 18, 2025, was "completely unfounded and illegal," relying on video evidence that did not reflect the critical circumstances of the case. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) presented video recordings claiming to show Amaglobeli’s offense, but the recordings were allegedly made hours after her administrative detention.

Lawyers representing Amaglobeli argued that the two videos submitted by the police were recorded after the time of her detention and depict the arrest of another individual, L. Gabaidze. They also contest the testimony of Batumi Deputy Chief of Police Gocha Vanadze, describing it as false.

Maia Mtsariashvili, another lawyer representing Amaglobeli, said that the videos “fail to show any offense” committed by Amaglobeli, let alone resistance to police actions. 

Amaglobeli's legal team has announced plans to present further evidence to the Kutaisi Court of Appeal, which they say will expose the falsification of video recordings and false testimony against her. They have also appealed to the Prosecutor General of Georgia, calling for an investigation into the conduct of Vanadze and other police officers involved, citing potential violations of Articles 332 (abuse of official authority), 369-0, and 370 (false testimony) of the Georgian Criminal Code.