Mzia Amaglobeli facts for kids

Mzia Amaglobeli (Georgian: მზია ამაღლობელი; born May 12, 1975) is a brave Georgian journalist. She helped start and leads two important online news websites, Batumelebi and Netgazeti. She has been held since early 2025.

In January 2025, during public gatherings in Georgia, Mzia Amaglobeli was taken into custody after an incident with a police officer. Many people, including the group Transparency International, believed her being held was unfair. They thought she was being punished for her courageous work in journalism, where she often reported on problems in the government.

After her arrest, Mzia started a protest fast, refusing to eat for 38 days. She did this to show her strong feelings against what she saw as unfair treatment. Her health became a serious concern by January 27, 2025. She ended her protest fast on February 18, 2025, because many people were worried about her, and also after two children sadly passed away in Batumi. By June 2025, reports showed her health was still a concern while she was held.

On August 6, 2025, a court found Mzia Amaglobeli responsible for resisting officials and she received a two-year sentence.

Mzia Amaglobeli is known as the first woman in Georgia to be considered a political prisoner since the Soviet Union ended. This means she was held because of her beliefs or actions against the government. She is also the first female journalist called a prisoner of conscience, which means someone held for peacefully expressing their views.

Mzia Amaglobeli has received the important Sakharov Prize from the European Parliament. This award honors people who fight for human rights and freedom.

Early Life and Background

Mzia Amaglobeli was born on May 12, 1975. Her hometown is the village of Chvana, located in the Shuakhevi district of Georgia.

A Career in Journalism

Starting as a Reporter

Mzia Amaglobeli began her work as a journalist in 2000 in the city of Batumi. She started as a reporter for a newspaper called "Adjara PS."

In 2001, Mzia and her friend Eter Turadze created their own independent news group, "Batumelebi." It began as a printed newspaper. Since then, Mzia has been a main journalist, editor, and leader of the company.

They started Batumelebi because they saw many problems with fairness and honesty in the government of Adjara at the time. In 2003, a very strict government tried to stop their work. The Batumi City Court even took away their official registration. But with help from the International Center for Journalists, Mzia was able to register a new organization in Tbilisi. It was officially renamed "Gazeti Batumelebi."

Under Mzia's guidance, her news organization earned many awards for its brave and honest reporting. Both Batumelebi (in 2009) and Netgazeti (in 2015) received the European Press Prize. This award celebrates news groups that are not afraid to report the truth, even when others try to stop them. Their reporting sometimes upset Russian authorities, and their websites were eventually blocked in Russia in 2022.

Her Arrest and Court Case

The events that led to Mzia Amaglobeli being taken into custody started on January 11, 2025, in Batumi. This happened during public gatherings related to the October 2024 election. She was taken into custody twice that night.

First, she was held for trying to put up a sticker calling for a national strike. She was released the next day. Later that same day, she was taken into custody again near the Batumi police station after an incident involving a police officer.

A video from a live broadcast showed a physical disagreement between Mzia and the Batumi police chief. This happened after her brothers were also taken into custody. Many people, including Transparency International, believed the incident was not serious enough to warrant her arrest.

On January 14, 2025, a judge ordered Mzia Amaglobeli to be held before her trial. The authorities claimed she had a physical disagreement with the police chief. The court did not accept a proposal for her release on bail. Concerns were raised about her treatment while in custody.

During a court hearing, Mzia Amaglobeli brought a book called How to Stand Up to a Dictator. She used it to show how she felt about the government's strict policies. The author of the book, Maria Ressa, later spoke about the protests in Georgia and Mzia's situation.

On March 18, 2025, a court decided on her initial charges. Despite video evidence presented by her defense, the judge ruled that she had not followed official demands and she received a fine.

On August 6, 2025, Mzia Amaglobeli was found responsible for resisting officials. She received a two-year sentence.

Support for Her Release

Many people in the media community criticized Mzia Amaglobeli's arrest. They saw it as an attack on the freedom of the press. Protests asking for her immediate release were held in several cities across Georgia.

On January 14, independent news outlets and TV channels in Georgia stopped broadcasting for three hours. They showed Mzia's picture with a message about media freedom and calling for her release.

Many international and local human rights groups spoke out against Mzia Amaglobeli being held. The Media Advocacy Coalition asked for her immediate release. The Coalition For Women In Journalism called her detention "a clear attack on press freedom."

Important international figures also called for her release. On January 29, Jan Braathu, a special representative for media freedom, asked for her release. Embassies from 14 countries also made a joint statement. The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, also expressed his concern.

On January 31, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said that the way Mzia was treated in custody, like being denied water, was "torture."

On February 4, a group of politicians from different countries expressed deep concern for Mzia's health. They asked for her immediate release. She was taken to the hospital for treatment that day. In a letter from prison, Mzia showed her strong spirit, saying she "would not bow to this regime." The BBC called her a symbol of resistance.

On February 7, EU leaders called Mzia Amaglobeli "a symbol of courage" for all those unfairly held.

On February 15, Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Prize winner and human rights activist, wrote a letter about Mzia's imprisonment. She said that holding journalists is wrong and that freedom of speech is key to democracy.

On March 26, Michael O'Flaherty again called for Mzia's immediate release. He said her long time in custody before trial was unacceptable.

By June 25, PEN Georgia also highlighted Mzia's worsening health in custody, especially her eyesight, which needed medical attention. Reports indicated she was largely blind in her left eye.

Awards and Recognition

On October 9, 2025, Mzia Amaglobeli and six other journalists were named World Press Freedom Heroes for 2025. This award celebrates journalists who are dedicated to press freedom.

Mzia Amaglobeli also received the Forum 2000 International Award for Courage and Responsibility in Prague on October 12, 2025. This award honors people who put democracy and human rights first.

On October 22, 2025, during a ceremony in Strasbourg, Mzia Amaglobeli was named one of the two winners of the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. She shared this top human rights honor from the European Union with Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut. Mzia became the first Georgian to win this prestigious award.

See also

In Spanish: Mzia Amaglobeli para niños