"This is an attempt to save face and has nothing to do with justice," – this is how Maia Mtsariashvili, the lawyer of Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of "Netgazeti," assessed the sentencing of her client to 2 years in prison.

Speaking to journalists after the verdict was announced, the lawyer stated, “In reality, this is not a verdict but a demonstrative act of punishment.”

“In reality, this is not a verdict but a demonstrative act of punishment. It’s absolutely irrelevant whether the sentence is 4 years or 2 years, because we are talking about the same act we’ve been discussing for a long time. The entire government was involved in a defamatory campaign and this case against Mzia. This was their attempt to supposedly save face. In fact, it has nothing to do with the qualification of Article 353. Article 353 refers to resisting a police officer while they are performing official duties. The act was reclassified as an attack,” Mtsariashvili said.

For reference, Batumi City Court Judge Nino Sakhelashvili reclassified the charges against Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder of “Batumelebi.”

Specifically, she was convicted under Article 353^1 of the Criminal Code, which covers resistance, threats, or violence against a public order officer or another representative of the authorities.

The judge sentenced Mzia Amaghlobeli to 2 years of imprisonment.