Media manager Amaghlobeli: ‘I’m not afraid of prison, I’m afraid of what awaits outside’

Media manager Mzia Amaghlobeli on Tuesday said she fears not imprisonment, but the state of the country she may find upon release, speaking during a hearing at the Kutaisi Court of Appeals.

Amaghlobeli, the co-founder and director of the media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, told the court that the real threat lies outside prison walls.

“Prison is neither easy nor simple, but it is not frightening. I am not afraid of imprisonment, I am afraid of what awaits outside: a country fighting for freedom, or a country occupied without tanks”, she said.

“There is nothing more to say except to express my gratitude for this dignified defence”, Amaglobeli added.

She added that even if the court allows her to return home, the current environment remains unpredictable.

“Let’s say the court releases me, but with such repressive laws, they could arrest me on my way back. The regime will invent whatever it needs. I urge everyone to fight before it’s too late”, Amaghlobeli said.

The Kutaisi Court of Appeals is currently reviewing her complaint.