On Wednesday (6 August), a Georgian court sentenced journalist Mzia Amaglobeli to two years in prison for allegedly assaulting a police officer — drawing strong criticism from the EU and press freedom organisations.
The EU condemned the verdict and called on Georgian authorities to release Amaglobeli, expressing concern over the “instrumentalisation of the justice system as a tool of repression against independent voices”.
“The actions of the authorities targeting and silencing independent media undermine the very foundation of democracy, contradict Georgia's international obligations and run counter to the European aspirations of the Georgian population,” the EU's external action service press team said in a statement.
Amaglobeli, co-founder and director of the media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested in January for allegedly assaulting a police officer during a government crackdown on democratic protests in Batumi, southwestern Georgia — charges that press freedom groups have called "disproportionate."
She was held in custody for months as a pre-trial measure, with reports pointing to her deteriorating health.
Amaglobeli is the first female journalist to be jailed in Georgia since the country's independence in 1991.
And she is also considered the first female journalist in Georgia to be seen as a prisoner of conscience.
"The sentencing of Mzia Amaglobeli is a direct attack on the profession of journalism,” said Anthony Bellanger, general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
“Mzia's case serves as a crucial reminder that freedom of expression cannot exist if it is restricted by conditions of fear and intimidation,” he added.
Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, has been in power since 2012, leading to significant democratic backsliding, which worsened following the disputed October 2024 parliamentary elections. The official results sparked widespread fraud allegations and mass protests nationwide.
Notably, the introduction of the Russian-style Foreign Agents Registration Act in 2024 was widely criticised as a tool to suppress critical journalism by restricting foreign funding and labelling independent media as foreign agents.
The EU warned back in May that such law was “a serious setback" for the country’s democracy.
Journalists have reported entry denials to the country, unjustified fines for covering pro-European protests, arbitrary detentions, and physical attacks, triggering widespread concern from human rights groups and calls to protect press freedom in Georgia.
Georgia's EU accession process was halted de facto in mid-2024 due to serious democratic backsliding.
In the 2025 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, Georgia is ranked 114 out of 180 countries, representing a drop of 11 places from the previous year.
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Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.
Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.