“The case of Mzia Amaglobeli from Batumi is absolutely outrageous. Pretrial detention with criminal charges for a middle-aged woman, who has apparently beaten a policeman,” said Paweł Herczyński, EU Ambassador to Georgia.
According to the EU Ambassador, the Georgian authorities demonstrate “zero willingness” to listen to people while there is a need to find a way out of the “deep political crisis.”
“What has been happening for the last 60 days on the streets of Tbilisi and the streets of other cities of Georgia is absolutely unacceptable. There is zero willingness on the part of the authorities to listen to the people, which is of course, absolutely outrageous. There is a need to find a way out of the current deep political crisis. Authorities have an additional responsibility to actively look for a such a way out.
Ongoing intimidation, ongoing violence, disproportionate use of force and the erosion of trust in the judicial system, and the case of Mzia Amaglobeli from Batumi is absolutely outrageous. Pretrial detention with criminal charges for a middle-aged woman, who has apparently beaten a policeman. I sincerely hope that this will end soon, and people, who are really responsible for violence, who are really responsible for chasing and beating people, including media representatives, including politicians, will be persecuted and justice will be made.
On Monday, yesterday, we decided to recommend to our member states to introduce visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and service passports. We have already discussed with our member states the possibility of introducing sanctions – personal sanctions on those who are responsible for violence, intimidation, and ongoing break out of law and order in Georgia. We have discriminative use of force. We have an erosion of trust in the judicial system. I’m really shocked by the hunger strike of Mzia (Amaglobeli) from Batumi. 16 days now, pretrial detention with criminal charges, a middle-aged woman accused of attacking a policeman.
When you have, all of us have seen on TV brutal beatings, I mean, women being beaten by masked men and no one has been charged. This is unprecedented. This is why discussions with member states about sanctions will continue. Regrettably, there is still no unanimity. So, there are member states who do not want to join unanimity. But knowing the dedication of EU leadership, we will try, we will come back, and we will work on having unanimity, which is required for the EU to introduce sanctions. It is a decision that will be taken tomorrow by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. I don’t want to comment on the decisions of other organizations,” he said.