Female politicians gathered near Women’s Penitentiary Institution No. 5 in Rustavi to express solidarity with Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder of Batumelebi.

They brought banners reading: “Mzia Amaglobeli has been in prison for 1 year,” “Freedom for prisoners of conscience,” “Free Mzia!”, “Fight before it’s too late,” and “Freedom for the regime’s hostages.”

According to Marika Arevadze, a member of the “Coalition for Change,” Mzia Amaglobeli is an illegally detained prisoner and is being punished for her love of her homeland.

“Mzia Amaglobeli is the first Georgian female journalist whom the regime has unlawfully taken hostage. She is an illegal prisoner and is being punished for loving her country. Her resilience is an example of struggle, and she has been repeatedly recognized for this despite the repression carried out against her by the regime. Mzia Amaglobeli and other prisoners of the regime must be released immediately, and this terror by the regime must be stopped,” Marika Arevadze said.

For information, Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested on January 11, 2025. On August 6, she was sentenced to two years of imprisonment. Specifically, she was convicted under Article 353, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which provides for liability for resistance, threats, or violence against a protector of public order or another representative of the authorities. The penalties for this offense include a fine, house arrest for up to two years, or imprisonment for a term of two to six years.