A group of prominent international politicians and diplomats, collectively identifying as “Friends of Georgia,” has issued an urgent statement demanding the immediate release of journalist Mzia Amaglobeli and all political prisoners in Georgia. The statement, dated February 4, 2025, addresses a crisis that has been intensifying over the past 69 days.
The situation has become particularly critical as Amaglobeli enters her fourth week of a hunger strike while in detention. According to reports from the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, she is being denied proper medical care and is subjected to degrading treatment in custody.
The signatories strongly reject attempts by the Georgian Dream leadership to discredit Amaglobeli by labeling her as “foreign-funded,” viewing this as a diversion tactic from the broader issue of public support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
The statement outlines three immediate demands for restoring democracy in Georgia:
- Release of all political prisoners
- Repeal of recent laws restricting freedom of assembly
- Organization of new elections under independent monitoring
Diplomats call for the European Union and their respective countries to maintain or implement sanctions against specific individuals, including Bidzina Ivanishvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, Vakhtang Gomelauri, and Sulkhan Tamazashvili.
Today with a vast group of Friends of Georgia we issue à statement demanding the immediate release of Mzia Amaglobeli and calling for decisive international action. pic.twitter.com/8ebWFOgF1S
— Nathalie Loiseau (@NathalieLoiseau) February 4, 2025
The statement has been signed by 30 prominent international figures, including current and former members of the European Parliament, national parliamentarians from various European countries, and U.S. representatives. Notable signatories include former U.S. Ambassador Ian Kelly, several Ukrainian parliamentarians, and representatives from Baltic, Nordic, and Central European countries.
The signatories express particular support for Georgian President Salomé Zourabishvili, independent media, and civil society organizations, whom they consider vital for maintaining democratic values in the country.
Signatories:
- Pavel Fischer, Member of the Czech Senate
- Radosław Fogiel, Member of the Polish Parliament, Deputy Chair of the Sejm Foreign Affairs Committee
- Michael Gahler, Member of the European Parliament
- Gustaf Göthberg, Member of the Swedish Parliament
- Bernard Guetta, Member of the European Parliament
- Rasa Juknevičienė, MEP, European Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Georgia
- Ian Kelly, former U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE and former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia
- Gerald Knaus, founding chair of the European Stability Initiative
- Rihards Kols, Member of the European Parliament
- Jukka Kopra, Member of the Finnish Parliament
- David Kramer, Director of the George W. Bush Presidential Center
- Yevheniya Kravchuk, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Vice President of ALDE
- Eerik-Niiles Kross, Member of the Estonian Parliament
- Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, former Member of the European Parliament
- Nathalie Loiseau, Member of the European Parliament
- Oleksandr Merezhko, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament
- Mariia Mezentseva-Fedorenko, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Chair of the Ukrainian Delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
- Marko Mihkelson, Member of the Estonian Parliament
- Ināra Mūrniece, Member of the Latvian Parliament
- Žygimantas Pavilionis, Member of the Lithuanian Parliament
- Frédéric Petit, Member of the French Parliament for citizens living in Germany, Central Europe and the Balkans
- Lia Quartapelle, Member of the Italian Parliament
- Michael Roth, Member of the German Parliament and Chair of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee
- Randy Scheunemann, foreign policy analyst and President of Orion Strategies LLC
- Katarina Tolgfors, Member of the Swedish Parliament
- Tom Tugendhat, Member of the British Parliament
- Sebastian Tynkkynen, Member of the European Parliament
- Reinier van Lanschot, Member of the European Parliament
- Viola von Cramon, former Member of the European Parliament
- Michał Wawrykiewicz, Member of the European Parliament
- Rep. Joe Wilson, Member of the U.S. Congress and Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission
- Dainius Žalimas, Member of the European Parliament