In this episode of IDDTalks, we speak with Abbas Anbori, Chairman of the Rewaq Baghdad Centre of Public Policy, about the evolving dynamics of Azerbaijan–Iraq relations.
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Day: August 4, 2025
The verdict in the case of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, on trial on what’s widely seen as disproportionate and politically motivated criminal charges of assaulting a police officer, will be announced on August 6.
Batumi City Court Judge Nino Sakhelashvili scheduled the next hearing for Wednesday at 2 p.m., following journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli’s final remarks delivered during the August 4 session. Amaghlobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti outlets, has been remanded in custody over slapping Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze during a tense night of protests and arrests in Batumi. She faces 4 to 7 years on charges of attacking a police officer.
“Whatever decision you make today, I want you to know that I consider myself a winner,” Amaghlobeli told the court on August 4, according to the live blog by the Publika outlet.
“I am not evading responsibility, but I am convinced that there must be a provision in Georgian law that fits my act,” the journalist said, openly rejecting the plea bargain floated by prosecutors in previous sessions. Her defense has argued that accepting the deal would require Amaghlobeli to plead guilty to a disproportionate criminal charge.
“I won’t and can’t sign this plea bargain, because what happened was not an attack, and portraying and veiling a slap as an attack is evil,” the journalist said, calling the offer “deeply offensive” and likening it to “being buried alive.”
In her concluding remarks, Amaghlobeli also thanked her lawyers, family members, friends, colleagues, and diplomats. She further expressed solidarity with Nino Datashvili, an activist and teacher who similarly faces years in jail over an alleged slap, and who currently faces involuntary transfer to a psychiatric facility for examination following a controversial court decision.
Amaghlobeli’s case has drawn widespread local and international attention, with critics viewing it as an attempt to silence and punish independent media. The final hearings, held on August 1 and 4, were accompanied by protests outside the courthouse, as supporters gathered in the coastal city to stand with her. Among them were family members, colleagues, activists, politicians, diplomats, and Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili.
Many have repeatedly traveled long distances to attend the trial, including Amaghlobeli herself, who is held at Rustavi’s fifth penitentiary facility, a six-hour drive from Batumi, where she was arrested and tried and where she has worked for many years.
“The justice that calls Mzia’s slap an attack on a police officer is not a justice,” Maia Mtsariashvili, Amaghlobeli’s lawyer, told the court on August 1, at the end of her nearly 8-hour-long remarks.
“Mzia Amaghlobeli’s case is a mirror of how the government abuses power, how the charge fails to serve its purpose, and how it tries to present the victim as the abuser and the abuse as the victim,” Mtsariashvili added, describing the case as the one “to be discussed by generations,” according to RFE/RL Georgian Service live blog.
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Moscow Calling – August 4
Grushko: EU losses from cutting ties with Russia exceed €1 trillion
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that the total losses of the European Union from ceasing trade and energy cooperation with Russia exceed €1 trillion. In an interview with Izvestia, he recalled that in 2013, trade turnover amounted to €417 billion, but by 2024 it had fallen to €60 billion and continues to decline toward zero. Grushko called this lost profit. He also pointed out that gas prices in Europe are 4–5 times higher than in the U.S., and electricity prices are 2-3 times higher, which, according to him, reflects the price of cutting economic ties with Russia (iz.ru).
Intended effect:
Russian propaganda is using Grushko’s statement to illustrate the alleged damage suffered by the EU as a result of its refusal to cooperate with Russia. This is intended to emphasize the disadvantageous nature of sanctions policy and reinforce the narrative of a growing economic divide between Europe and Russia.
Strelnikov: Trump steps up military support for Kyiv, Russia warns of escalation
According to Russian political commentator Kirill Strelnikov, Donald Trump’s position in the U.S. has shifted: rather than pressuring Ukraine to speed up negotiations, the U.S. is now choosing to increase military aid to Kyiv. He explains this by Trump’s desire to save face ahead of the elections, as the 53 promises to “end the conflict in 24 hours” have proved unfeasible. Strelnikov claims in his article on RIA Novosti that Russia has from the outset advocated a diplomatic solution, but this has been “thwarted by Western hawks.” It is also reported that economic sanctions against Russia have not worked: India and China have refused to stop oil purchases, and Western experts are predicting economic costs for the U.S. and the EU. Moscow emphasizes that increasing arms supplies to Ukraine will not affect the goals of the special military operation but will lead to further destruction and casualties. The article separately quotes The American Conservative, which stated that Russia’s victory is a matter of time (ria.ru).
Intended effect:
The article portrays the U.S., including Trump, as a cynical and confused player who has replaced peace with escalation. It also reinforces the idea of Russia’s “inevitable victory.” This aims to demoralize the Ukrainian side and the Western audience while legitimizing Russia’s further military actions.
Erdogan seeks meeting between Russian, U.S., Ukrainian leaders in Turkey, no date set
The Turkish president’s office told RIA Novosti that Ankara hopes to host a meeting between the leaders of Russia, the United States, and Ukraine in the near future, although no specific date has been set yet. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan intends to discuss this initiative with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin confirmed that no details had been worked out, but indicated that Russia’s position remains unchanged: Moscow is ready for negotiations subject to the conditions it has set out. It also recalled that three rounds of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine had previously taken place in Istanbul, resulting in the exchange of prisoners and draft memoranda (ria.ru).
Intended effect:
The material supports the narrative that Russia is ready for negotiations, while emphasizing that Moscow sets the terms. This allows Russia to appear as a peacemaker while maintaining pressure on Kyiv by accusing it of prolonging the dialogue.
Kocharyan: Only Russia can restrain Turkey and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus
Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said that Russia remains the only country capable of restraining Turkey and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus. Speaking on Channel Five, he stressed that, unlike Moscow, France has no vital interests or military potential for intervention in the Caucasus. Kocharyan claims that the current Armenian leadership is acting irresponsibly by worsening relations with Russia and aligning with countries that, in his words, pose a threat to Armenia (EADaily).
Intended effect:
Kocharyan’s statement supports the traditional pro-Russian stance in Armenian politics and promotes the narrative of Moscow’s indispensability as a guarantor of regional security. This is simultaneously used as criticism of Yerevan’s current policy and an attempt to restore trust in Russia’s role in the Caucasus.