Mzia Amaglobeli expresses feeling like being interned when offered a plea deal
Georgian Journalist Mzia Amaglobeli Rejects Plea Bargain in Controversial Trial
In a dramatic turn of events, Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder of Georgian news outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, has rejected a plea bargain offered in her ongoing trial at Batumi City Court. The trial, which has been widely criticized as politically motivated and unjust, saw Amaglobeli sentenced to two years in prison on August 6, 2025.
The plea bargain, according to Amaglobeli, was akin to being buried alive. She has been thinking about her stance for seven months and stated that it is now the court's responsibility to decide her fate and punishment. However, her lawyers could not fully express her stance on the plea bargain.
The conviction stems from an incident in January 2025, where Amaglobeli was allegedly involved in an altercation with a police officer. The original charge of "attacking a police officer" was downgraded to "resistance, threat or violence against a law enforcement officer", but the conviction remains. Her legal team has appealed this verdict.
The trial has been marred by irregularities, including pretrial detention exceeding 200 days, lack of proper justification for her detention, allegations of ill-treatment and sexualized insults from police, and the seizure of her media outlets’ bank accounts. These irregularities have led international human rights and press freedom groups to call for her immediate release and transparent investigation into her treatment.
Amaglobeli has endured significant health deterioration while in detention, including eyesight issues and a prolonged hunger strike protesting her imprisonment. The case is seen as emblematic of broader authoritarian pressure on independent journalism in Georgia under the ruling Georgian Dream party.
In her statement, Amaglobeli maintained that she has never evaded responsibility for the incident involving the Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze. She disputes that her action was classified as an assault, stating that it was framed as a slap but was not an attack on a police officer.
Intriguingly, Dgebuadze allegedly promised Amaglobeli a sentence of 4 to 7 years. The prosecutor's office supported this promise regarding Amaglobeli's sentence. Amaglobeli believes that the investigation into the case was not professional or unbiased, and the case was brought to court without any serious questions being asked.
The outcome of Amaglobeli's trial remains uncertain. The judgment in her criminal case is yet to be announced, and the international community awaits a fair and just resolution to this controversial case.
Despite the plea bargain on offer, Mzia Amaglobeli has chosen to stand firm against the controversial trial, viewing it as tantamount to burial alive. As the court considers her fate, the broader realm of politics and general-news circles eagerly await an outcome that upholds justice and press freedom. The court's decision in this case is seen as a shining example of the rule of law in the context of crime and justice in Georgia.
