The European Union Delegation in Georgia is responding on social media to the one-year anniversary of the arrest of Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti.

“Today marks 1 year since Mzia Amaglobeli’s arrest. We reiterate the joint statement of 6 August 2025 by 24 diplomatic missions”, the European Union Delegation writes on social media and shares a joint statement issued on August 6, 2025:

“We diplomatic missions of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, representing member countries of the Media Freedom Coalition and aligned missions to Georgia, condemn the disproportionate and politicized sentencing of Mzia Amaglobeli to 2 years in prison.

Mzia Amaglobeli’s case is further aggravated by her prolonged pretrial detention, during which her health condition and especially eyesight has deteriorated significantly. The case of Mzia Amaglobeli and the pressure on Batumelebi and Netgazeti exemplify the escalating intimidation of journalists in Georgia, including unpunished violence and legal persecution, in clear violation of the country’s international obligations to protect media freedom and freedom of expression. We repeat the message of the Media Freedom Coalition statement of 20 December 2024, condemning all intimidation and violence against journalists and media workers. We express our solidarity with Mzia Amaglobeli and call for her immediate release”, reads the statement.