International and Domestic Reactions to Mzia Amaghlobeli’s Verdict

Batumi City Court sentenced veteran journalist and Batumelebi/Netgazeti founder Mzia Amaghlobeli to two years in prison on charges of “resistance, threat, or violence against a public official” over slapping Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze during a tense night of protests and arrests in January.

While Judge Nino Sakhelashvili’s last-minute decision to reclassify the initial charge of “assaulting a police officer” was seen by some as a retreat from the judiciary’s earlier hardline stance on protest-related cases, opposition figures, rights groups, and foreign diplomats have condemned the verdict as a troubling escalation in Georgia’s crackdown on dissent.

Civil.ge has compiled a selection of domestic and international reactions to Amaghlobeli’s sentencing. This article will be updated as new comments come in.

International Reactions

Joint Statement of 24 diplomatic missions in Georgia: “We the diplomatic missions of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, representing member countries of the Media Freedom Coalition and aligned embassies to Georgia, condemn the disproportionate and politicized sentencing of Mzia Amaglobeli to 2 years in prison. Mzia Amaglobeli’s case is further aggravated by her prolonged pretrial detention, during which her health condition and especially eyesight has deteriorated significantly.

The case of Mzia Amaglobeli and the pressure on Batumelebi and Netgazeti exemplify the escalating intimidation of journalists in Georgia, including unpunished violence and legal persecution, in clear violation of the country’s international obligations to protect media freedom and freedom of expression. We repeat the message of the Media Freedom Coalition statement of 20 December 2024, condemning all intimidation and violence against journalists and media workers. We express our solidarity with Mzia Amaglobeli and call for her immediate release.”

Cloonie Foundation for Justice/TrialWatch: “Mzia Amaglobeli’s conviction places Georgia among a growing number of countries using criminal law to silence journalists and curtail free speech – especially at times of political instability, when people need access to independent journalism most,” said Kate Levine, Senior Legal Program Manager at TrialWatch. TrialWatch monitored Amaglobeli’s trial and will share its in-depth evaluation of it, grading it against international fair trial standards, in a forthcoming Fairness Report.”

Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia: “Mzia Amaghlobeli was subjected to a litany of abuses at the hands of the police: verbally assaulted, spat on, injured and then refused medical help. This was admitted by police officers during her trial, yet impunity has prevailed. The proceedings were riddled with procedural violations and bias, and the court refused to admit much of the defence’s submissions and investigate credible allegations of ill-treatment by police officials. Mzia Amaghlobeli must receive a fair trial, and the abuses she has suffered must also be independently investigated and addressed to ensure justice.”

Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based press freedom watchdog: “On Wednesday, August 6, the court in Batumi, Georgia, handed down its verdict: journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, co-founder of the independent media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was sentenced to two years in prison for the criminal offense of ‘assaulting a police officer’ following a symbolic slap. We call on the authorities to put an end to this travesty of justice and to release the journalist immediately.”

Rasa Juknevičienė, Lithuanian MEP, Standing Rapporteur for Georgia: “Mzia Amaghlobeli just sentenced to 2 years in prison. This is not just political persecution of a brilliant journalist. Mzia has become a symbol of Georgian’s fight for a European future. Ivanishvili’s regime is killing freedom and democracy faster than the Kremlin did in Russia.”

Sergey Lagodinsky, German MEP and Co-President of Euronest Parliamentary Assembly: “Mzia has just been sentenced to 2 years of prison. As an MEP and Co-President of Euronest, I reiterate our call from January: Immediate release of Mzia Amaghlobeli, a brave journalist who has spent over 200 days in custody for a single slap. While she has been on trial Georgian authorities are doubling down: seizing the assets of Batumelebi/Netgazeti under tax claims as pressure increases. Protest is not a crime! Journalism is not a threat! Georgian ruling party must abandon the path of prosecutions and respect press freedom.”

Krzysztof Brejza, Polish MEP: “Journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli sentenced to 2 years – the first journalist jailed in Georgia. Instead of meeting the EU’s clear demands to protect human rights, democracy and return country to the European development path, the regime is jailing journalists! This is not European – this is authoritarian. Georgia deserves better!”

Robin Wagener, member of the German Bundestag: “I strongly condemn the 2-year prison sentence for Mzia Amaghlobeli. Independent journalism is not a crime. Georgian Dream’s attempt to silence pro-European voices by targeting outspoken individuals like Mzia with politically motivated charges is unacceptable. She must be released immediately and granted urgent access to medical care.

This sentence is part of a broader crackdown on civil society and human rights in Georgia, where dissent to the ruling Georgian Dream and its anti-EU-policy is increasingly being met with severe repression. We need targeted sanctions against those responsible for the repression like GD politicians or high-ranking officials within the law enforcement and security systems. The international community must stand in solidarity with the pro-European civil society in Georgia, fighting for freedom and democracy.”

Domestic Reactions

Salome Zurabishvili, Georgia’s Fifth President: “The regime is paralyzed-too cowardly to free Mzia Amaghlobeli, too weak to convict her. It hides behind delays, hoping to survive. But her strength exposed their fear. This isn’t justice. It’s a dying authoritarian system. And we won’t stop!”

Giorgi Gakharia, leader of the opposition party For Georgia: “Georgian Dream crossed every political and legal red line long ago. Today, it stepped beyond any human or moral boundary. In doing so, it passed the harshest verdict on itself. Mzia Amaghlobeli now stands as a symbol of unbreakable dignity. We all stand with her in this fight.”

Tina Bokuchava, Chair of the Unity-UNM: “Today, in that courtroom, we witnessed one woman’s revolution against the regime. Today, through her silence, Mzia Amaghlobeli has already overthrown Bidzina Ivanishvili […]. With her strength, resilience, determination, and struggle, this one woman, before our eyes, exposed and toppled the regime. We must consolidate this energy and bring down this regime that commits such injustice against a woman […] Mzia Amaghlobeli is a proud, strong, patriotic Georgian woman. But [Irakli] Dgebuadze is not a man; this was seen by the entire country.”

Lelo/Strong Georgia: “The regime will be defeated! Mzia Amaghlobeli will be free!”

More to follow…