Journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli Calls Her Imprisonment a Political Decision During Appeal Hearing
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
At a hearing in the Kutaisi Court of Appeals, journalist and founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti Mzia Amaghlobeli stated that her imprisonment is the result of political persecution, not justice. Currently detained, Amaghlobeli said she cannot accept being treated as a defendant and accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of targeting her through state-controlled media.
"The regime decided to imprison me. Those in power, the leaders of Georgian Dream, attack me constantly through propaganda outlets," Amaghlobeli told the court.
She criticized the initial verdict by the Batumi City Court, which found her guilty of slapping a police officer and sentenced her to two years in prison. "Some might think I should be thankful that the sentence is lighter than what prosecutors demanded, but this case has nothing to do with justice," she said. "Neither the prosecution nor the judge acted fairly."
Amaghlobeli described the court's actions as part of a broader campaign to silence dissent and reaffirmed her commitment to appeal what she called an unjust ruling. "There is no greater evil than an unfair court. We must not tolerate it," she added.
According to Radio Liberty, prosecutors are now seeking to strengthen the charges under Article 353¹, Part 1 of the Criminal Code.
The appeal is being reviewed by a judicial panel chaired by Judge Nikoloz Margvelashvili. Amaghlobeli's defense team has asked for future hearings to be moved to a larger courtroom, a request the judge said is under consideration.
