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New York, July 31, 2025—Ahead of Friday’s expected verdict in the trial of journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, the Committee to Protect Journalists and 13 other media and human rights groups called on Georgian authorities to drop the charge against her and release her.

Amaglobeli, founder and director of award-winning independent news outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, has been unjustly detained since January on the charge of attacking a police officer, for which she faces up to seven years in jail. The charge has been widely condemned as disproportionate and politically motivated.

The organizations condemned the smear campaigns against and degrading treatment of Amaglobeli, who has become a symbol of the resilience of Georgian independent media.

Read the full statement here.


This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.

Citations

[1] Free Media Awards - Fritt Ord ➤ https://frittord.no/en/prizes/free-media-awards[2] Netgazeti among winners of Fritt Ord/ZEIT Press Prizes ➤ https://www.mdif.org/news/netgazeti-among-winners-of-fritt-ordzeit-press-prizes/[3] ბათუმელები • batumelebi.ge ➤ https://batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/[4] ნეტგაზეთი • Netgazeti.ge ➤ https://netgazeti.ge/[5] CPJ: Georgia must free Mzia Amaglobeli after 53 days in jail for a slap - Committee to Protect Journalists ➤ https://cpj.org/2025/03/cpj-georgia-must-free-mzia-amaglobeli-after-53-days-in-jail-for-a-slap/[6] Press freedom groups condemn hearing, demand release of Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli  - Committee to Protect Journalists ➤ https://cpj.org/2025/07/press-freedom-groups-condemn-hearing-demand-release-of-georgian-journalist-mzia-amaglobeli/[7]https://cpj.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Georgia-UPR-joint-submission-CPJ-MAC.pdf