On November 11, 2025, the Kutaisi Court of Appeals began reviewing the appeal of Mzia Amaghlobeli, a prisoner and founder of the publications “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti.” Due to high public interest, her colleagues and supporters traveled to Kutaisi from various cities in Georgia to attend Mzia Amaghlobeli’s court trial, but most of them could not enter the courtroom – the trial was held in a small, 24-person hall, and seats were quickly filled. Journalists who wished to cover the proceedings were also unable to attend. Furthermore, the court security locked the yard gate, restricting the entry of Mzia Amaghlobeli’s colleagues and supporters even into the court yard.
Mzia Amaghlobeli was arrested twice on the night of January 11-12, 2025. She was initially detained for putting up a protest sticker on a police building. She was released on recognizance a few hours after her detention, but was soon re-arrested under criminal law for the fact of slapping Batumi Police Chief, Irakli Dgebuadze. She was accused of assaulting a police officer, which carries a sentence of 4 to 7 years in prison. On August 6, 2025, Batumi City Court Judge Nino Sakhelashvili reclassified the charge, found Amaghlobeli guilty not of assaulting a police officer, but of resisting a police officer, and sentenced the journalist to 2 years in prison. The defense is appealing this verdict to the Court of Appeals and is demanding Mzia Amaghlobeli’s release; the prosecution is also appealing the verdict, with the prosecution again demanding a sentence of 4 to 7 years.
According to authoritative international and local human rights organizations, as well as Members of the European Parliament, Mzia Amaghlobeli is facing politically motivated retribution, and they are demanding the immediate release of the journalist.
