“Friends of Georgia” Demand the Release of Journalist Mzia Amaglobeli and call for international action
Diplomats call for the European Union and their respective countries to maintain or implement sanctions against specific individuals.
On January 11, 2025, Mzia Amaglobeli, a well-known journalist and director of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti,” was unlawfully detained twice during a protest outside the police department in Batumi. Her first arrest occured when she placed a sticker on the Adjara Police Department’s fence. After being released on a written undertaking, she was arrested again after a confrontation with Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze, during which she slapped him in response to his insults.
On January 12, Mzia was charged under the Criminal Code of Georgia for allegedly assaulting a law enforcement officer, facing a potential prison sentence of 3 to 7 years. Both the Kutaisi and Batumi courts have ordered her to remain in pre-trial detention, making her the first journalist in Georgia at risk of imprisonment under the current regime.
The Media Advocacy Coalition supports Mzia, viewing her prosecution as a targeted effort to silence dissent voices.
#FreeMzia
