The Heinrich Boell Foundation Tbilisi Office has been cooperating with Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder and director of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, for many years. At all times, Ms. Amaghlobeli has distinguished herself with high professionalism, integrity, and dedication to her work. Batumelebi/Netgazeti is a prominent independent media outlet that plays a key role in the development of media and democracy in Georgia. For more than 20 years, it has been offering its readers media materials created with the highest professional standards, aiming to inform citizens objectively and providing consistent coverage of all societal problems. Batumelebi’s work in Adjara as a regional media outlet is particularly noteworthy and important.
We call for the immediate release of Mzia Amaghlobeli. On January 14th, Ms. Amaghlobeli was ordered to pre-trial detention, and a request for bail was refused. Media representatives, human rights activists, and civil society organizations protested the decision of Batumi City Court, emphasizing that there is no basis for the use of pre-trial detention against Ms. Amaghlobeli.
Mzia Amaghlobeli is integral to the functioning of Batumelebi/Netgazeti, and we hope that she will be able to continue her important work without any delay. We demand fair and impartial court proceedings in line with international standards and call on the Georgian government to ensure the freedom of the media in the country.