23 international media groups urge Georgia to ‘end crackdown,’ release detained journalist

Twenty-three international media rights organizations have issued a joint statement condemning what they described as a growing crackdown on independent journalism in Georgia. 

The groups have called on the Georgian government to release detained media manager Mzia Amaglobeli, repeal recently adopted “repressive laws,” and halt what they described as systematic efforts to silence the press.

The statement, signed by leading organizations such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the International Press Institute (IPI), warned that “independent media in Georgia may have only a few months left before being forcibly closed,” potentially depriving the public of access to non-state-controlled information.

"Without sustained international pressure on both Georgian Dream officials and the leaders of institutions responsible for the media crackdown, independent journalism in Georgia cannot survive," the signatories said.

The groups accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of intensifying efforts to consolidate power by targeting media outlets and journalists through legal, financial, and physical pressure. According to the statement, journalists in Georgia were increasingly subject to arbitrary arrests, intimidation, physical violence, and punitive fines.

The signatories pointed to several “controversial legislative measures” introduced by the government, including a foreign transparency law along with amendments to the Law on Grants and the Law on Broadcasting. Critics claimed the measures were designed to discredit and constrain media and civil society organizations that receive international funding.

The statement also highlighted the case of Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of the independent outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, who has been detained since early January. Her arrest was described as part of a broader pattern of repression. According to Mapping Media Freedom, at least 13 journalists have been detained in Georgia since November 2024, while more than 240 have faced harassment, obstruction, or legal action.

The Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) was accused of aligning with government interests. Journalists Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani and Nino Zautashvili were dismissed after raising concerns about political interference, the groups said. Zautashvili’s programme, Real Space, was later cancelled.

The joint statement concluded with a direct appeal to the international community and the European Union to take “urgent action.”

"We urge the international community to place effective pressure on Georgia and to support independent journalism in the country. We call on the Georgian Dream ruling party to end its assault on the media, repeal repressive legislation and immediately release Mzia Amaglobeli," the statement said.

Among the signatories are International Press Institute (IPI), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), PEN International, Media Diversity Institute, Democracy Reporting International (DRI), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), among others.