03:49, 4 September 2025

Batumi Police Chief Transferred to Tbilisi After Amaglobeli Slap

Irakli Dgebuadze, for whom journalist Mzia Amaglobeli was convicted of slapping, has left his post as head of the Batumi police. He has been transferred to work in the Central Criminal Police Department in Tbilisi.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel reported, in early August a court in Batumi sentenced the founder of the publications "Batumelebi" and "Netgazeti" Mzia Amaglobeli to two years in prison for the attack on the chief of the Batumi police Irakli Dgebuadze, whom she slapped. Amaglobeli told the court that Dgebuadze had previously subjected her to humiliating and inhuman treatment. Other detained protesters also reported abuse by Dgebuadze, including Temur Katamadze, who was later expelled from Georgia.

On the night of January 12, 10 people were detained in Batumi, including Mzia Amaglobeli. The reason for the detention was a poster she had pasted to the wall calling for a general strike. When Amaglobeli was released, she found herself in a crush where an incident occurred involving Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze. According to a silent video published by the pro-government Imedi TV channel, Amaglobeli, surrounded and held by police officers and people in dark clothes, said something to Dgebuadze, who responded and turned away. Amaglobeli sharply pulled him back and slapped him. After that, the journalist was detained again. Details are given in the "Caucasian Knot" report "The Mzia Amaglobeli Case: Circumstances of the Arrest and the Campaign to Protect the Journalist".

On September 3, Batumelebi journalists learned that Dgebuadze had left the post of Batumi police chief and was transferred to another position.

According to their information, Dgebuadze was transferred to Tbilisi and appointed head of the police attaché, although the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not provide official information about this to the publication. Nevertheless, the department confirmed the information about Dgebuadze's new appointment, stating that he "will continue to work as the head of the center for international cooperation in law enforcement of the Central Criminal Police Department," Interpressnews writes with reference to representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Irakli Dgebuadze has served as the chief of police in Batumi since 2022, the news agency notes.

After Dgebuadze left, his deputy Gocha Vanadze, who testified in court against Mzia Amaglobeli, became the acting chief of the Batumi police. The prosecutor's office did not investigate a single statement from detained participants in pro-European protests who accused Dgebuadze of physical violence or cruelty, Tbilisi life points out.

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Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/415122