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Front News Georgia
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution demanding the “immediate and unconditional” release of journalist and media manager Mzia Amaglobeli and the dropping of all charges against her, calling her arrest “politically motivated.” The resolution was adopted with 324 votes in favor, 25 against, and 87 abstentions.
Amaglobeli, co-founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, has been held in pretrial detention since January after she slapped Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze — an act classified by authorities as “assaulting police,” carrying a potential prison sentence of four to seven years. Critics argue the case is a political move to intimidate independent media.
The resolution refers to Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream (GD), as a “regime” and condemns what it describes as a “systemic assault on democratic institutions, political opposition, independent media, civil society, and judicial independence.”
Focusing on press freedom, the resolution expresses “deep concern over arbitrary detentions, harassment, and violence against journalists,” including smear campaigns, gender-based violence in detention, and legal persecution. It urges Georgian authorities to end intimidation and ensure safety and freedom for all journalists.
The European Parliament also demands the release of individuals it describes as “political prisoners,” including:
- Mzia Amaglobeli, journalist
- Mate Devidze, a 21-year-old protester sentenced to 4.5 years for allegedly assaulting police
- Opposition politicians Zurab Japaridze, Nika Melia, and Nika Gvaramia, detained for defying a parliamentary commission
- Former President Mikheil Saakashvili, currently imprisoned following several convictions
The resolution calls for the immediate repeal of all repressive legislation and for the European Union to increase support for independent media and civil society in Georgia, particularly following the controversial enactment of the foreign agent law (FARA). It also urges close monitoring of politically sensitive trials.
In a notable addition, the resolution denounces the recent wave of pressure on NGOs, specifically the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s demand for detailed operational and financial information from civil society organizations within three working days — a demand the EP calls “unfeasible by design,” warning it could paralyze targeted groups.
Finally, the European Parliament regrets the “persistent inaction” of the European Council, Member States, and the European Commission, and reiterates calls for individual sanctions against Georgian Dream leaders and officials “responsible for democratic backsliding.”
The debates took place on June 18, ahead of the vote, with the resolution forming part of broader EU concerns over Georgia's democratic trajectory amid growing tensions between the government and civil society.
