Free Mzia and Georgia

Yesterday, a group of journalists gathered in front of the Georgian Parliament earlier than usual – protests against the government have become a daily ritual after work – but before they even began, they were beaten, dragged by their hair, thrown to the ground, and dispersed by the police. They were there for Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder and director of two independent news outlets, Batumelebi and Netgazeti, who has been in prison for 23 days and on hunger strike for the same period, in critical health. Mzia – her name appears on posters, on walls, and she has become a symbol of the injustice and violence suffered by the Georgian people – was arrested by Batumi police on the Black Sea coast for pasting stickers that read "strike." She was released a few hours later, but when leaving the police station, she encountered the commander, Irakli Dgebuadze, who was either expelling or attempting to arrest Mzia’s colleagues who had arrived to demand her release.Leggi su Ilfoglio.it