Italian Senator Calls for Release of Khoshtaria and Amaghlobeli

At a session of the Italian Senate, Filippo Sensi, a senator from the Democratic Party (PD), made harsh statements directed at the Georgian government. He called on the Italian government to stop "conciliatory" diplomatic meetings with the Georgian government and to categorically demand the release of Elene Khoshtaria, leader of the opposition party Droa, Mzia Amaghlobeli, and other political prisoners.

Sensi spoke at length about the serious state of health of Elene Khoshtaria. In his words, the Georgian regime punished the opposition leader with a year and a half of imprisonment on a fabricated pretext, and her health is rapidly deteriorating in prison.

"Footage circulating on social networks today shows her being taken into a medical facility in a wheelchair, with short hair and a very exhausted appearance. Yet she still finds the strength to shout that she will endure and fight to the end, then raises two fingers as a sign of victory and clenches her fist in a sign of resistance," the Italian senator said.

Sensi emphasized the political crisis in Georgia and noted that for 700 days young people have been holding protest rallies on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. In his words, amid ongoing processes at the Constitutional Court, the country's agencies are planning to dissolve the main opposition parties, which is the outcome the regime wants.

The senator also criticized the current position of the Italian government. In his view, while Georgia shows a "conciliatory" face to Europeans and the Italian government finds room for dialogue and cooperation, all of this comes at the cost of the freedom of hundreds of detained people.

"What I am asking is that, instead of holding diplomatic meetings, our government firmly demand the release of Elene Khoshtaria, Mzia Amaghlobeli and all those people who are in prison because of their ideas, held by the regime that has planned a Belarusian scenario for Georgia," Sensi added.

At the end of his speech, he expressed solidarity with Georgian protesters who continue to resist in the streets, and named Elene Khoshtaria as an example of steadfastness. He concluded his remarks with the Georgian phrase "Gaumarjos!"

Filippo Sensi is an Italian politician and former journalist, a member of the Italian Senate, who represents the center-left "Democratic Party". In the past he served as press spokesperson for Italian prime ministers Matteo Renzi and Paolo Gentiloni.