"Your only chance to get out of prison is to take the blame for everything — and then we’ll talk about how much and in what way we’ll reduce your sentence."

This was the prosecution’s position today, said Maia Mtsariashvili, the lawyer of Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, in a statement to journalists after the court session.

According to the lawyer, the prosecution is exerting pressure.

“The prosecution didn’t say anything new. This plea offer is part of the same operation that top government officials have been publicly proposing since day one:

‘Admit everything they’ve accused you of — claim you insulted police officers, that you obstructed some arrests, that you acted on orders in self-defense... Admit it all, and then we’ll consider reducing your sentence.’

That’s what they’re offering. The prosecution has nothing else. They’re saying: ‘Take the blame for everything we couldn’t prove, and then we might think about leniency.’

What could be a clearer form of pressure?

This is their offer — in other words, they’re telling her [Mzia Amaghlobeli]: ‘This is what justice looks like here. You have no chance. Your only chance to get out of prison is to admit to everything, and then we’ll discuss how much we’ll lighten your sentence.’

That was the prosecution’s position today,” - Mtsariashvili stated.