The second appellate hearing in the case of Georgia’s imprisoned journalist and 2025 Sakharov Prize laureate, Mzia Amaglobeli, took place on November 18 at the Kutaisi Court of Appeals.
Both the Prosecutor’s Office, which is seeking to increase the charges and sentence against Mzia Amaglobeli, and Amaglobeli’s lawyers, who are requesting that the verdict against her be overturned and that she be released, have filed appeals with the Court.
At the hearing, the prosecutor filed a motion to add the forensic report on Mzia Amaglobeli’s personal mobile phone to the case file. Although the forensic examination and access to Amaglobeli’s phone and personal data were authorized by court order at an early stage of the criminal proceedings, the expert report was presented only today, after almost nine months.
“Mzia Amaglobeli’s phone was subjected to forensic examination. The examination has been completed and we have received the expert report. We request that this report be added to the case,” prosecutor Shota Chkhaidze said.
Mzia Amaglobeli’s lawyer, Maia Mtsariashvili, also responded to the motion, noting that the defense had previously requested the return of Amaglobeli’s personal belongings, including the phone that was suppose to undergo forensic examination months ago:
“According to the expert report, no information of interest to the investigation was found on Mzia Amaglobeli’s phone. No ‘deep state’ was found in the phone.”
Mzia Amaglobeli’s personal belongings — her keys, bank card, and mobile phone — were confiscated upon her arrest on January 12, 2025 after her detention.
On March 4, at the preliminary hearing in the Batumi City Court, prosecutor Tornike Gogeshvili asked Judge Viktor Metreveli to deem the information that would be extracted from Amaglobeli’s phone admissible as case evidence.
As it turned out, a report by detective Vladimer Chitaia had been added to the case file. In a report dated February 15, he informed Colonel Sergi Zhghenti, the deputy head of the Guria Police Department, that according to information available to him, “the attack on the police officer by Mzia Amaglobeli had been pre-planned, and prior to the incident she had communicated via a mobile phone application with unidentified individuals, with whom she exchanged messages and from whom she received instructions.”
It was on the basis of this report that the Prosecutor’s Office requested access to Amaglobeli’s phone. The judge granted the request.
Before the end of trial in city court, the Prosecutor’s Office removed eight witnesses from the case, including detective Vladimer Chitaia.
The forensic examination lasted nearly nine months and ultimately confirmed that no information was found on Mzia Amaglobeli’s phone that would substantiate the false allegation that the slap had supposedly been “pre-planned.”
At today’s hearing, it was also revealed that Mzia Amaglobeli’s lawyers are requesting that she be granted the status of a person with disabilities, as provided under Georgian law due to her severe visual impairment. It should be recalled that while in detention, the imprisoned journalist lost the majority of her vision; she now retains only about 10% of sight in one eye, while in the other she can perceive only light.
Amaglobeli’s lawyer filed a motion to have the written correspondence regarding the granting of her status as a person with disabilities admitted into the case materials, which was approved by the judge
Although at the previous hearing the judge promised the defense that a large courtroom would be considered for today’s session, the hearing is again taking place in a small one, and some of Amaglobeli’s supporters were once again unable to attend.
As during the previous session, the gate to the court yard was locked for those left outside, preventing them even from entering the yard — something journalists say they do not recall happening in other cases.
According to the court marshal, who spoke to journalists at the courtyard gate, “there are no [prison] bars in the large courtroom, and that is why” the session is again being held in the smaller one.
It appears that the court marshal was referring to the glass-and-metal “cage” installed in the courtroom. Throughout the hearings in the City Court, Mzia Amaglobeli was required to remain inside this enclosure and was not permitted to testify from outside, where witnesses normally speak.
For the first time, on November 11, the Kutaisi City Court allowed Amaglobeli to exit the cage and sit beside her lawyers. However, at the November 14 hearing, she was not allowed to do so.
The next hearing will take place on November 18.
