Batumi

The director of the “Adjara Times” claims to have received a threatening message on social media.

On October 15, Sulkhan Meskhidze, the founder and director of “Adjara Times,” published a post on social media, stating that he had received a threatening and insulting message. According to Meskhidze, the message concerned him and his family members.

According to the journalist, the reason for the threat was most likely his publication, which concerns the resignation of Akaki Beridze, the head of the Batumi City Hall’s Department of City Infrastructure and Public Works.

In the post, he writes that this is not the first case of threats, but since he has not received a response from the investigative agencies on previous cases, he will not make an official statement on the matter.

Another Attack by “Georgian Dream” on “Batumelebi”/“Netgazeti” Founder Mzia Amaglobeli

On October 10, 2025, the Georgian Dream referred to the founder of “Batumelebi”/“Netgazeti”, the prisoner Mzia Amaglobeli, as a perpetrator and “executor of the tasks of the deep state”. This statement by the Georgian Dream followed the presentation of the IPI-IMS World Press Freedom Hero Award to Mzia Amaglobeli.

“The decision to present the Hero Award to a criminal who deliberately attacked the police and with this action slapped not one specific law enforcement officer, but the entire system and the state, is another act of impudence, a mockery of Georgian society, a mockery of free speech and free media”, – said the press service of the Georgian Dream, Giorgi Grdzelishvili, at a briefing.
It is worth noting that this briefing was largely devoted to the topic of presenting the award to Mzia Amaglobeli. “The presentation of the Hero Award to Mzia Amaglobeli clearly shows the difficult situation of the international media, the international press…”, – said the spokesperson of the “Georgian Dream” at a special briefing.

On October 9, 2025, it became known that Mzia Amaglobeli, who was sentenced to 2 years in prison by the “Georgian Dream” court for slapping a police officer, is among the winners of the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero Award. The award is established by the International Press Institute IPI-IMS. A total of 7 journalists were named as the winners of the 2025 award. “This year’s award winners are examples of the threats facing journalists around the world, as authoritarianism takes hold, impunity prevails, and new challenges arise for freedom of expression,” – said the Executive Director of the IPI.

Multiple cases of obstruction, threats, and physical confrontations against journalists during the October 4 elections

On October 4, 2025, during the local government elections (which the opposition and a large part of society consider illegitimate), numerous cases of obstruction of work, threats, and verbal and physical abuse against media representatives were recorded.

Publicly reported incidents:

Verbal attack on journalists

Kakha Kaladze, the candidate for mayor of Tbilisi from the Georgian Dream, called journalists “impudent”. The incident took place at the 64th polling station in Tbilisi. After voting, Kakha Kaladze was talking about the protection of freedom of speech and expression in the country. A “Formula” journalist asked him what this meant, to which he replied – “There is some politeness, there is ethics, I understand that you have neither one nor the other.”
The president of the Georgian Dream, Mikheil Kavelashvili, called TV Pirveli journalist Ina Tsartsidze a “liar” and a representative of a “liar television.” “You, your bosses, are deceiving the youth, the society, that we are illegitimate,” Kavelashvili replied to the journalist, who was trying to get an answer from him whether US President Donald Trump had contacted him.
Former Prime Minister of the Georgian Dream, Irakli Gharibashvili, called journalists from TV Pirveli and Formula “scoundrels” and “main fakers” at the 11th polling station in Tbilisi. His response followed questions from journalists about whether he himself was expecting to be arrested, since everyone around him is being detained.

Cases of interference with work of journalists were reported

4. At Akhaltsikhe polling station No. 6, the chairman of the precinct commission restricted journalist Nuka Stepnadze of the publication “Samkhretis Karibche” from filming at the polling station. He told the journalist that he could only film for 10 minutes. According to the publication, the chairman of the commission only allowed the journalist to continue working after the district commission contacted him and explained the rules.

5. In Batumi, at one of the polling stations, a journalist from “TV Pirveli” journalist, Nato Gogelia, was verbally confronted by agitators from the “Georgian Dream”. They first tried to prevent him from filming by covering his camera with their hands, and then cursed at the journalist. Their irritation followed the journalist’s attempt to find out why they were standing at the polling station with lists and why they were registering voters.

Founder of “Batumelebi”/“Netgazeti” outlets, Mzia Amaglobeli, sentenced to 2 years in prison

Judge Nino Sakhelashvili of the Batumi City Court reclassified the charges against the founder of the online publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, and sentenced her to two years in prison.

Mzia Amaglobeli was charged with assaulting a police officer after slapping the Chief of Batumi Police, and was charged under Article 353 Prima of the Criminal Code, which envisions 4 to 7 years in prison. On the day of the verdict, the judge reclassified the charges to Article 353 Part One of the Criminal Code. The article in question refers to resisting a police officer, a special penitentiary service employee or another government official with the aim of obstructing the maintenance of public order, interrupting or changing his activities. The article provides for a fine or house arrest for a term of up to two years or imprisonment for a term of 2 to 6 years.

Mzia Amaglobeli’s attorneys plan to appeal the case after the verdict is handed down.

Mzia Amaglobeli was first arrested on January 11 of this year under administrative law, and a few hours later, on January 12, under criminal law.

Founder of Batumelebi/Netgazeti outlets, Mzia Amaglobeli, sentenced to 2 years in prison

Mzia Amaglobeli’s attorneys plan to appeal the case after the verdict is handed down.

Mzia Amaglobeli was first arrested on January 11 of this year under administrative law, and a few hours later, on January 12, under criminal law.

The Revenue Service has placed a lien on the accounts of the publication ‘Batumelebi’

On July 21, 2025, it became known that the Revenue Service had placed a lien on the accounts of the publication Batumelebi. According to the organization, the official reason is debt, but the real reason is the intention to shut down the media organization.

According to media reports, the agency gave them a five-day deadline to pay the debt; otherwise, the accounts would be subjected to a lien, after which the property would be seized and the National Bureau of Enforcement would begin the enforcement process — selling the organization’s assets, including its office and editorial technical equipment.

According to the publication, at this stage their debt to the budget — the principal amount — is 47,000 GEL, with interest adding 126,000 GEL and a fine of 109,000 GEL. Batumelebi had acknowledged its debt to the state and had been making monthly payments to cover it. After the threat of a lien, Batumelebi officially contacted the Revenue Service and requested a payment schedule (the Tax Code allows debt to be paid in installments), but they were refused. On July 17, Batumelebi’s accounts were subjected to a lien.

The publication perceived this action as another attempt to pressure them and as an effort to shut down the media outlet. For more than six months, the founder and media manager, Mazia Amaglobeli, has been in detention. She is accused of assaulting a police officer for slapping the chief of Batumi police and faces 4 to 7 years in prison. Her trial is nearing its conclusion, with the final session — where Judge Nino Galustashvili will announce the verdict — scheduled for August 1.

“The lien and all other operations planned in the past week are aimed at breaking Mazia Amaglobeli and, in the long term, destroying the media organization she founded. A simple confirmation of this is one example: according to official information from the Revenue Service on May 21, 2025, TV company Imedi owes 17 million GEL to the budget. Rustavi 2 owes 25 million GEL to the budget,” the organization stated.

The “Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics” also assessed the incident as pressure on the media. The charter urges the Revenue Service to lift the lien on the publication’s accounts and to provide a schedule for debt repayment. Batumelebi’s case is part of a systemic campaign carried out by the Georgian Dream party against independent journalism and media, according to a statement by another organization, the “Media Advocacy Coalition.”

The international human rights organization Amnesty International also commented on the situation: “The accounts of the independent Georgian publication Batumelebi were frozen after alleged cases of police violence against its founder, Mazia Amaglobeli, who is currently unlawfully detained and facing a tainted trial. Amnesty calls for a full investigation of all allegations of police violence,” the statement read.

Update: On July 22, after the news received significant attention from both local and international media organizations, the Revenue Service offered Batumelebi a payment schedule and lifted the lien. On the same day, thanks to support from readers who launched a major campaign to help the publication, the principal amount of the debt was covered.

Judge Moved Mzia Amaghlobeli’s Court Proceedings to Smaller Courtroom

On July 14, 2025, Judge Nino Sakhelashvili moved the court proceedings of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, who is in illegal imprisonment, to a smaller courtroom. According to information from online media “Batumelebi,” the judge made the decision after, according to her, shouts could be heard from the street in the courtroom – “Freedom for Mzia! Freedom for political prisoners!” According to the online media’s information, a large part of those wishing to attend the court session could not enter the proceedings, among them were members of Mzia Amaghlobeli’s family, colleagues, and representatives of the diplomatic corps.

The judge also did not satisfy the defense’s request that journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli be allowed to testify from the witness stand. In the end, the journalist testified from a glass-enclosed booth.

For more than 6 months, journalist and media manager Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti,” has been in illegal imprisonment. On July 9, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Georgia, demanding Mzia Amaghlobeli’s release. Her release is also demanded by local and international organizations.

Mzia Amaglobeli’s court hearing was moved by the judge to a small courtroom

On July 14, 2025, the court hearing of journalist Mazia Amaglobeli, who is being held in unlawful detention, was moved to a small courtroom by Judge Nino Sakhelashvili. According to the online media outlet Batumelebi, the judge made this decision after stating that shouts could be heard from the street in the courtroom “Freedom for Mazia! Freedom for political prisoners!”

According to the online media, a large number of people who wished to attend the hearing were unable to enter, including members of Mazia Amaglobeli’s family, colleagues, and representatives of the diplomatic corps.

The judge also denied the defense’s request for journalist Mazia Amaglobeli to give her testimony from the witness stand. Ultimately, she gave her testimony from a booth enclosed in glass.

For more than six months, Mazia Amaglobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, journalist, and media manager, has been held in unlawful detention. On July 9, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Georgia, calling for Mazia Amaglobeli’s release. Her release is also being demanded by local and international organizations.

Mzia Amaglobeili, Founder of “Netgazeti” and “Batumelebi,” Fined for the Second Time for Posting a Sticker

On June 18, 2025, Marina Fomaeva, a judge at Batumi City Court, found Mzia Amaglobeili—founder of the outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti—guilty of an administrative offense and fined her 1,000 GEL for posting a protest sticker.
The sticker in question read “Georgia Is Sworn In” and was placed by Amaglobeili on the wall of a police auxiliary building on January 11. Police officers removed the sticker immediately after it was posted.

Amaglobeili had already been fined once for the same sticker. On March 18, 2025, Judge Salikh Shainidze fined her 2,000 GEL for disobeying a lawful police order. Shortly after that, the Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a new administrative case against her for the same incident—this time for “defacing the appearance of a building.” The verdict in that case was delivered on June 18.

Mzia Amaglobeili was arrested twice during the night of January 11–12, 2025. She was first detained for posting the protest sticker but released a few hours later after signing a written statement. However, she was re-arrested shortly after on criminal charges for allegedly slapping Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze.

She remains in pretrial detention. Both local and international organizations consider her a political prisoner. Numerous procedural violations have been documented during her court proceedings.

Mzia Amaglobeili to Remain in Custody Despite Health Concerns

On June 23, 2025, a court hearing was held at the Batumi City Court for Mzia Amaglobeili, founder of the online outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti. In addition to the questioning of witnesses, the court also considered a motion to change the preventive measure of detention. However, the judge decided to keep Mzia Amaglobeili in custody.

During the hearing, Amaglobeili’s lawyer, Maia Mtsariashvili, spoke about her deteriorating health condition. According to the lawyer, based on test results from February 4, Mzia Amaglobeili had 30% vision in her right eye and only 0.04% in her left. By February 6, the vision in her right eye had dropped to 10%, and even with glasses, it can reach a maximum of 40%, whereas before her detention, it could reach up to 90%. In her left eye, vision is limited to distinguishing between light and darkness.

Despite the defense emphasizing the severe deterioration of her health, the court did not take this into account and upheld the detention. The court’s decision once again relies generically on the risk of committing a new offense, though the reasoning for this position remains unclear.

We continue to monitor Mzia Amaglobeili’s case, including evaluating how accessible appropriate medical care is for her under prison conditions.