Mzia Amaghlobeli: A Champion for Press Freedom in Georgia
MZIA AMAGHLOBELI HAS BEEN UNJUSTLY IMPRISONED SINCE JAN. 12, 2025
Mzia Amaghlobeli, a Georgian journalist and founder of the independent media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, has been unjustly imprisoned since January 12, 2025.
Her commitment to reporting the truth in the face of growing political repression and ongoing participation in the protest movement against the Georgian Dream government made her a threat to the regime.
Following the October 2024 elections, which were neither free nor fair according to international observers, the Georgian Dream party illegally convened parliament, appointed a new president through an illegitimate process, and withdrew Georgia from the European Union accession process.
This instigated widespread public protests across the country that continue today. More than 500 protestors have been arrested, and there are allegations of mistreatment and torture against at least 99 individuals. Journalists like Amaghlobeli have been a particular target of the regime through illegal detentions as well as legislation limiting media freedom.
Free Speech Crackdown
This instigated widespread public protests across the country that continue today. More than 500 protestors have been arrested, and there are allegations of mistreatment and torture against at least 99 individuals. Journalists like Amaghlobeli have been a particular target of the regime through illegal detentions as well as legislation limiting media freedom.
The Slap, "Fighting Words," and the Draconian Charge
While Amaghlobeli acknowledges slapping the police officer, it was in response to police aggression, insults, and “other illegal acts” inflicted on Mzia and other protestors, according to her lawyers. Video of the incident shows the clash between police and people when police started arresting Amaghlobeli’s relatives. She can be heard asking Dgebuadze, “They are my family members—where did you take them why did you arrest them?” The confrontation escalated.
As Dgebuadze arrested Amaghlobeli, he vulgarly cursed at, insulted, and threatened her saying, “I &%$ swear, I’ll arrest her under Criminal [Code],” followed by other expletives, according to the video evidence. Referring to the harsher Criminal Code rather than the Administrative Code is viewed as a disproportionate legal escalation and indication of a potential abuse of power, according to Amaghlobeli’s lawyers.
The first video shows the clash between police and people, including Amaghlobeli. The police were arresting her relatives. The second video shows the slap and the conversation between Amaghlobeli and Dgebuadze, including his insults.
Amaghlobeli has been held in pre-trial detention, where she says police have verbally abused, intimidated, and threatened her. She also went on a hunger strike for more than a month in January and February as a form of protest against her detention and treatment, resulting in a weakened health condition. (For more background, please read this seven-page document prepared by a colleague.)
The incident has served as a convenient pretext for the Georgian Dream government to silence one of its most outspoken critics. According to the Media Advocacy Coalition, a media watchdog, video footage has been manipulated by government media channels to vilify Amaghlobeli and show events out of context.
Her ongoing imprisonment and the charges against her lack proportionality and violate fundamental principles of due process.
As her lawyers argue, “A slap on the face does not qualify as an ‘assault,’ and a criminal charge is exaggerated and thus punitive.”
Georgian and international journalists, civil society representatives, and public figures have condemned the handling of her case, emphasizing its implications for press freedom and the rule of law in Georgia.
Transparency International Georgia argues that “the slap was symbolic and lacked sufficient force to cause harm [damages are but one element of the tort].” Others argue that pre-trial detention is not justified and that, under Georgian law, the slap did not warrant the serious attack charge.
For context, in another trial, a person who was driving with expired tags, without a license, and with an open container of alcohol slapped a police officer but only received a monetary fine and three days in detention. By comparison, Amaghlobeli faces seven years.
An attack on one is an attack on all
Amaghlobeli’s imprisonment is not just an attack on one journalist—it is an attack on press freedom itself. Organizations such as the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) and the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum have condemned her arrest as a direct attempt to suppress independent journalism in Georgia. The MDIF, in particular, has expressed deep concern over the politically motivated nature of her charges, urging immediate action to prevent further erosion of media freedoms in the country.
The case of Amaghlobeli is emblematic of the growing threats to democracy and human rights in Georgia. Every day that Amaghlobeli remains behind bars is another day that freedom in Georgia suffers a blow. The world must stand with Amaghlobeli and demand her freedom.
Her prosecution is a tragic demonstration of how journalists are punished for doing their job and a warning aimed at all democracy fighters, especially those in the media. This case sends a harsh chilling effect across the Georgian media community. Her arrest also serves as retaliation against her media outlets, Netgazeti and Batumelebi, which have come under increasing pressure, particularly after their fearless reporting during the 2024 parliamentary elections exposed widespread voter manipulation and illegal practices by the ruling party.
Amaghlobeli's courage in the face of repression reminds us of the vital role that journalists play in holding governments accountable.
The McCain Institute has long supported individuals like Amaghlobeli, who put their lives on the line to uphold fundamental rights. Just as the McCain Institute has championed the release of political prisoners and journalists in authoritarian regimes, it must now call for Amaghlobeli’s immediate and unconditional release. Amaghlobeli’s courage in the face of repression reminds us of the vital role that journalists and democracy activists play in holding governments accountable.
By supporting her, the McCain Institute reaffirms its commitment to democracy, press freedom, and the fundamental human right to speak the truth without fear of persecution.