Judge Nino Sakhelashvili of the Batumi City Court reclassified the charges against the founder of the online publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, and sentenced her to two years in prison.

Mzia Amaglobeli was charged with assaulting a police officer after slapping the Chief of Batumi Police, and was charged under Article 353 Prima of the Criminal Code, which envisions 4 to 7 years in prison. On the day of the verdict, the judge reclassified the charges to Article 353 Part One of the Criminal Code. The article in question refers to resisting a police officer, a special penitentiary service employee or another government official with the aim of obstructing the maintenance of public order, interrupting or changing his activities. The article provides for a fine or house arrest for a term of up to two years or imprisonment for a term of 2 to 6 years.

Mzia Amaglobeli’s attorneys plan to appeal the case after the verdict is handed down.

Mzia Amaglobeli was first arrested on January 11 of this year under administrative law, and a few hours later, on January 12, under criminal law.