“Throughout this process, there has been governmental pressure on the court to make the decision that is dictated to it. The prosecution’s medical expertise concluded that [Irakli Dgebuadze] suffered no harm to his health, and it could not even be proven whether he experienced pain,” said Juba Katamadze, the lawyer of Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti,” during a court hearing.

According to the lawyer, during the court session held on August 1, where the defense was delivering its closing statement, the judge restricted the defense’s rights and did not allow them to complete their statement.

“Yesterday, the defense delivered its closing statement. The process lasted a long time, and we reviewed all the false witnesses who provided incorrect information to the court. That they were false witnesses is proven not only by our statements but also by the specific video evidence we presented. The video evidence shows that the factual circumstances described by the false witnesses are lies. The court should not accept their testimonies because these individuals are not credible. We also discussed how the investigation was not conducted objectively, as well as the violations against Mzia Amaghlobeli in court. Among them, a case regarding the violation of the presumption of innocence has been sent to Strasbourg. At the end of the court session, when we were discussing the court’s violations, the judge lost their nerve, restricted the defense’s rights, and did not allow us to complete our statement.

Throughout this process, there has been governmental pressure on the court to make the decision that is dictated to it. Throughout this process, not only were political statements made, but they also spoke about the motive and purpose of the action, which is the responsibility of the investigation. Yesterday, we also said that we have no expectation that the court will make an objective decision and that justice will prevail, but every person has a moment when they realize where the truth lies, and at some point, they may allow themselves to go beyond their limits.

The only legally sound decision in this case would be an acquittal, as Mzia Amaghlobeli is accused of attacking a police officer. Article 325 of the Criminal Code is the only place in the code that provides a definition of assault, stating that an act is considered an assault based on its intensity and severity, and it must be intentional, aimed at causing harm to health, loss of life, or property damage. In this case, we can discuss harm to health, but this part is also debunked because the prosecution’s medical expertise concluded that [Irakli Dgebuadze] suffered no harm to his health, and it could not even be proven whether he experienced pain. Our expertise confirmed that it is impossible for him to have experienced pain. The issue of redness on the cheek has been disproved by our side, as the video evidence we presented, filmed 1-2 minutes after the incident, shows that Dgebuadze had no redness. He stated that he felt insulted, which is true—a slap is insulting and not an act aimed at causing harm to health,” stated Juba Katamadze.

According to the lawyer, Mzia Amaghlobeli is prepared for anything and does not have high expectations.

“Mzia was ready yesterday as well, but she has not sat down at any session—she always stands. Yesterday’s court session lasted nearly 10 hours, and it was impossible to discuss everything with her. On Monday, Mzia will deliver her closing statement. She is prepared for all outcomes, has no high expectations, is reconciled to everything, and knows what fight she is in. She is a very principled person. Her demand and desire are for justice to be served, not to humble herself and apologize as they demand of her. They offered her a plea deal, which is a tool of coercion, saying, ‘Admit to something you didn’t do, apologize, and we’ll let you go.’ Mzia doesn’t need this. The only thing Mzia demands is the execution of justice.

The claim that Mzia Amaghlobeli attacked a police officer is absurd,” stated Juba Katamadze.

For reference, Mzia Amaghlobeli’s next hearing is scheduled for August 4 at 1:00 PM, where she will deliver her closing statement, after which the judge will announce the verdict.

The investigation accuses Mzia Amaghlobeli under Article 353 (prima) of the Criminal Code, which pertains to an attack on a police officer and carries a penalty of 4 to 7 years of imprisonment.

Mzia Amaghlobeli was initially detained under administrative procedures during a rally near the Batumi Police Headquarters on January 11 and was released after approximately two hours. A few minutes after her release, she was detained again near the headquarters. Mzia Amaghlobeli slapped Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze, which was qualified as an attack on a police officer.