Cease crackdowns on independent media

Civil Rights Defenders is deeply concerned about the arrest of Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder and director of the Batumelebi online newspaper in Batumi, as well as its sister publication, the nationwide online magazine Netgazeti.

Mzia Amaghlobeli, a journalist with over two decades of experience, was detained on criminal charges of assaulting a police officer. Under Article 353 of the Criminal Code, assaulting a police officer can result in a prison sentence of 4 to 7 years.

It has been announced that there will be a media strike in the country, today 14 January, from 17 to 20 pm. in solidarity with Mzia Amaghlobeli.

Increased repression against journalists

Civil Rights Defenders is closely monitoring developments in Georgia and has observed increasing incidents of intimidation, threats, and both physical and verbal assaults against journalists.

We call on Georgian authorities to cease all attacks on journalists, uphold press freedom, and create a safe environment for the media to operate without fear of retaliation.

We also urge authorities to guarantee a fair and transparent legal process, in full compliance with international human rights standards.