The brother of Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, visited the women’s penitentiary institution, where Amaglobeli is serving her sentence. Netgazeti reports that he remained at the facility for several hours.
Speaking to journalists after the visit, Malkhaz Amaglobeli said his sister has no information about a possible presidential pardon and holds no expectations. “They didn’t say anything yesterday either. She has no information and no expectations. She feels strong,” he said, adding that Amaglobeli told him: “We’ll meet in a year, when I am released.”
The visit comes amid uncertainty following the Epiphany pardon announced by President Mikheil Kavelashvili, who pardoned 159 people. There had been public expectations that the pardon might apply to individuals detained in connection with recent protests. Family members and supporters gathered at penitentiary institutions in Rustavi and Gldani, but the identities of those pardoned have not yet been disclosed.
Mzia Amaglobeli, a prominent Georgian journalist and media manager, was arrested on January 11, 2025, during the wave of protests that followed political developments in the country. On August 6, she was sentenced to two years in prison under Article 353, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which concerns resistance, threats, or violence against a public order defender or other government representative. The article envisages penalties ranging from a fine or house arrest to imprisonment of two to six years.
Her case has drawn significant attention from media organizations and civil society groups, who have described her as a symbol of independent journalism in Georgia and have closely followed developments surrounding the Epiphany pardon.
Image: Nanuka Kajaia
