Georgia’s Independent Media Under Siege: The Case of Mzia Amaghlobeli

January 23, 2025 – Georgia – 

Veteran Georgian journalist and media manager Mzia Amaghlobeli, co-founder and director of the independent outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested amid post-election protests in Batumi. She was accused of “assaulting a police officer” after slapping the local police chief, Irakli Dgebuadze, following verbal abuse he directed at her. Her arrest on January 12 sparked widespread concern, especially after Georgia’s police reportedly falsified detention records and mistreated her in custody. She was denied bail and placed in pre-trial detention under what many see as politically motivated circumstances.

Within days, Amaghlobeli began a 38-day hunger strike to protest her detention, lasting until February 18. Critics from both Georgia and abroad, including the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and Transparency International, called her imprisonment “unjustified,” highlighting the politicized nature of her arrest under charges that carry up to seven years behind bars.

Her case triggered a strong international reaction. The International Press Institute (IPI), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), and others demanded her immediate release and an end to the crackdown on media. A coalition of over 300 media organizations and rights groups called for dropping charges and launching independent investigations into her treatment. The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum warned against using pre-trial detention as political intimidation.

On June 18, the European Parliament passed a resolution—backed by 324 votes—urging her “immediate and unconditional release” and labeling her prosecution “politically motivated.” MEPs described her case as emblematic of a larger authoritarian shift under the ruling Georgian Dream party. Lithuanian MEP Rasa Juknevičienė warned that “Georgia’s lights of democracy are going out,” while German MEP Tobias Cremer emphasized that the regime fears free media “like a vampire fears the light”.

Despite her hunger strike and the growing home- and abroad-based support, Amaghlobeli remains detained, with her trial pending. She faces possible imprisonment while conducting her professional duties, now framed as a criminal act.

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