Kutaisi Court Upholds Prison Sentence for Journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
The Kutaisi Court of Appeals has upheld a two-year prison sentence for journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of the Batumelebi and Netgazeti online media outlets. The ruling confirms the Batumi City Court's decision from August 6. The appeals panel consisted of Judges Marina Siradze, Nana Jokhadze, and Nikoloz Margvelashvili.
Addressing the court before the ruling, Amaghlobeli said imprisonment itself does not frighten her, but the state of the country upon her release does. She questioned whether Georgia would remain committed to freedom, democracy, and a European future, or whether it would be undermined by propaganda, economic difficulties, and Russian influence. She urged those in the courtroom to defend the Georgian Constitution.
The appeals hearing began on November 11, continued on November 14, and concluded today. Amaghlobeli's defense requested the inclusion of documents highlighting her international awards and medical records, and questioned whether the original judge, Nino Sakhelashvili, met the necessary academic qualifications. The defense also sought the return of her personal belongings and mobile phone.
The court partially granted these requests. Health-related documents and award records were added to the case file, and Amaghlobeli's personal belongings were returned, but her phone remains in police custody for ongoing examination.
Amaghlobeli has been in detention since January, following arrests in Batumi on January 11-12. She was first detained for placing a protest sticker on a police building and later re-arrested after an altercation with the then-Batumi police chief, Irakli Dgebuadze. The charges were reclassified to "resistance, threat, or violence against an official" before the August sentencing.
Amaghlobeli's imprisonment has drawn criticism from supporters and international observers who describe it as politically motivated. Lawyers have expressed concern over her health, warning she risks losing her eyesight due to keratoconus, a progressive eye condition.
While in custody, Amaghlobeli has received multiple international awards, including the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the Free Media Award from Norway's Fritt Ord Foundation and Germany's Zeit-Stiftung, and the Forum 2000 International Award for Courage and Responsibility.
