The International Press Institute (IPI) and a coalition of press freedom, journalist, and human rights organizations have issued a joint call for the immediate release of veteran Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli. Amaglobeli, the founder and director of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, is currently in pretrial detention following her arrest on January 11, 2025, under charges of “assaulting a police officer,” which carries a potential sentence of 4 to 7 years in prison.
Amaglobeli’s arrest followed an altercation with Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze, during which she is accused of slapping him. The incident occurred after Amaglobeli had been detained for placing a sticker about an upcoming general strike on the wall of a police station. While addressing supporters upon her release the following day, police began detaining protesters, leading to the confrontation with Dgebuadze. She was subsequently charged under Article 353(1) of the Georgian Criminal Code.
According to Transparency International Georgia, video footage of the incident shows that the slap lacked sufficient force to cause harm,” and therefore does not meet the threshold of seriousness required for charges under the criminal code.
On January 14, the court ordered Amaglobeli’s pretrial detention, a decision upheld by the Kutaisi Court of Appeals despite appeals for her release. On January 20, Amaglobeli announced she had been on hunger strike since January 12 to protest her treatment, stating: “The charges against me today are the product of repressive, treacherous, and violent processes targeting humanity, freedom of speech, and expression.”
The IPI and co-signatories have expressed grave concerns over her arrest and detention, describing it as part of a broader crackdown on press freedom and civil liberties in Georgia. The coalition demands Amaglobeli’s immediate release and an end to the targeting of journalists and media professionals in the country.
The statement was signed by:
International Press Institute (IPI), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Justice for Journalists Foundation (JFJ), PEN International, Civil Rights Defenders (CRD), and numerous other organizations dedicated to media freedom and human rights.
