GYLA takes detained journalist Amaghlobeli’s case to the ECHR

On Monday, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) announced that it had filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in regards to imprisoned journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli’s case. Amaghlobeli is the founder of the Batumelebi and Netgazeti media outlets. GYLA argued that her ongoing pretrial detention and wider criminal case violates several clauses of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Amaghlobeli was first detained on 11 January for hanging a poster at a pro-European rally in Batumi, but was later released that same day.

Within several minutes of her release, she was detained again on charges of slapping Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze. The Prosecutor’s Office considered the slap an ‘attack on a police officer’ — a criminal offence which carries a prison sentence of four to seven years.

After her detention, Amaghlobeli began a hunger strike in protest, but ended it on 18 February after 38 days.

GYLA argued that her arrest and imprisonment violates a number of clauses of the convention, including the right to liberty and security (Article 5), the right to a fair trial (Article 6), the right to respect for private and family life (Article 8), the right to freedom of expression (Article 10), the right to an effective remedy (Article 13), and the limitation of the use of restrictions on rights (Article 18).

In its statement, GYLA said the circumstances of Amaghlobeli’s arrest and subsequent detention demonstrate that her ‘imprisonment and criminal prosecution are illegal and constitute political repression’.

Opinion | Mzia Amaghlobeli is a political prisoner

The authorities in Georgia go to extreme lengths to pursue opponents of the government, while giving tacit approval to those who attack such opponents.

OC MediaMariam Nikuradze