The EU Delegation to Georgia has marked one year since the detention of Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of the independent Georgian media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, reiterating its commitment to a joint statement issued by 24 diplomatic missions on August 6, 2025.
In a post shared on social media, the EU Delegation recalled that exactly one year has passed since Amaglobeli’s arrest and emphasized that it remains fully aligned with the position expressed by international partners at the time. Along with the post, the Delegation re-shared the joint statement released on August 6, 2025, by diplomatic missions representing members of the Media Freedom Coalition and allied embassies in Georgia.
In the statement, the diplomatic missions of Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom strongly condemned what they described as a disproportionate and politically motivated verdict against Mzia Amaglobeli, which resulted in a two-year prison sentence.
Based on the statement, the case was further aggravated by Amaglobeli’s prolonged pre-trial detention, during which her health condition significantly deteriorated, with particular concern expressed over serious damage to her eyesight.
The diplomatic missions stressed that Amaglobeli’s case, along with pressure exerted on Batumelebi and Netgazeti, represents a broader pattern of growing intimidation of journalists in Georgia, as well as instances of violence and legal persecution that remain unpunished. They underlined that such developments constitute a clear violation of Georgia’s international obligations to protect media freedom and freedom of expression.
Reiterating the message of the Media Freedom Coalition’s statement issued on December 20, 2024, the diplomatic missions once again condemned all forms of violence and intimidation directed at journalists and media representatives. They expressed solidarity with Mzia Amaglobeli and renewed their call for her immediate release.
Mzia Amaglobeli is widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in Georgian independent journalism. Batumelebi and Netgazeti have played a key role for years in investigative reporting, exposing corruption, abuse of power, and human rights violations. Her arrest and subsequent sentencing sparked widespread criticism from international human rights organizations, press freedom advocates, and diplomatic partners, who have repeatedly warned that the case could have a chilling effect on independent media in the country.
The renewed statement by the EU Delegation and international diplomatic missions comes amid continued international concern over the state of media freedom and the rule of law in Georgia, particularly in the context of the country’s stated European aspirations.
