Award-winning editor fined for placing protest sticker on police building

TBILISI, DFWatch–In Batumi, on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, journalist and co‑founder of outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, Mzia Amaghlobeli, was fined 1,000 GEL (USD 365) for placing a protest sticker outside the regional police headquarters.

The incident took place during an opposition rally in January. The sticker bore the message “Georgia Swears an Oath” and was meant to show solidarity with people detained during opposition rallies.

Amaghlobeli, winner of the 2009 Free Media Award, rejects the charge of putting up a sticker. She was not present in court today, but explained at an earlier hearing:

“I don’t consider myself a lawbreaker, because putting up a sticker is not a crime. The message ‘Georgia Swears an Oath’ is a very noble one. This sticker was an expression of solidarity and protest toward those demonstrators who were illegally detained. I put up the sticker, and that was a form of expression, solidarity and protest.”

Amaghlobeli is on trial for assaulting a police chief. Her defense lawyer argues that the police assault case has been fabricated in order to justify her detention over the sticker incident. On January 11, she was first detained for placing the sticker, then released, then detained again after slapping Batumi’s police chief Irakli Dgebuadze in front of TV cameras.

In 2024 and 2025, many media professionals have been issued fines ranging up to 5,000 GEL (1,830 USD) for various violations while covering opposition protests, based on alleged offenses, such as traffic violations.

While the government maintains that it is following the law, some caution that targetting of media workers which could have a chilling effect on press freedom.