European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has said that imprisoned Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli remains in the thoughts of the European Parliament, speaking during a plenary session where Sakharov Prize laureate Andrzej Poczobut addressed lawmakers.
Welcoming Poczobut to the Parliament, Metsola recalled the years he spent in prison and praised his commitment to defending freedom and speaking the truth.
“Dear Andrzej, you are here today. We have been waiting for this moment with hope, prayer and action for your release. You were imprisoned for speaking the truth, for defending your community, for refusing to back down. For so many years, you have never stopped defending your freedom,” Metsola said.
She noted that the European Parliament awarded Poczobut the Sakharov Prize, which he shares with Mzia Amaglobeli.
“That is why this Parliament has awarded you the Sakharov Prize, which you share with the Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, who is still behind bars and who remains in our thoughts,” Metsola stated.
The European Parliament president stressed that many journalists and political prisoners remain imprisoned around the world and reaffirmed the institution’s support for those detained for their beliefs or professional activities.
“Today, we send a message from this hall that is loud enough to reach the prison cells of Belarus, Georgia and all those countries where the truth is forbidden: we have not forgotten you, Europe stands with you and we will not stop until all of you are free,” she said.
Amaglobeli, founder of the independent Georgian media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, has become a prominent figure in international discussions on media freedom and the treatment of journalists in Georgia. Her case has drawn criticism from a number of European institutions, international media organizations and human rights groups, which have called for her release and expressed concern over press freedom developments in the country.
