Clooney Foundation: Mzia Amaghlobeli’s Right to Fair Trial Violated
The trial and conviction of Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli violated her right to a fair trial and amounted to an abuse of process, according to a newly published report by TrialWatch, the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s program that monitored the case.
“The criminal proceedings against Mzia Amaglobeli gave rise to a series of violations of international human rights standards that cumulatively and gravely undermined the fairness of the proceedings against her,” said Sir Nicolas Bratza, a British jurist and former president of the European Court of Human Rights, who served on the TrialWatch Experts Panel.
Mzia Amaghlobeli, a journalist and founder of the online media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested in Batumi on January 11–12, 2025, after slapping the local police chief during a tense protest. She was initially charged with “assaulting a police officer” and faced four to seven years in prison. On the day the verdict was delivered, August 6, the charge was reclassified to the lesser offense of “resistance against an official,” and she was sentenced to two years in prison. Amaghlobeli remained in custody during the entire pretrial period.
According to TrialWatch, Amaghlobeli’s trial revealed “several procedural flaws,” including limitations on the defense’s ability to present evidence and call witnesses who could have corroborated her account of the slap, as well as her placement in a glass enclosure (“aquarium”), which the report said restricted communication with counsel and hindered her ability to participate fully in her defense.
The report also criticized the last-minute reclassification of charges, saying it left her with no time to respond or to prepare a defense against the new elements of the offense for which she was ultimately convicted. It added that the judgment did not address procedural irregularities identified by the defense, inconsistencies in prosecution witness testimony, or allegations of ill-treatment. The report further said the court failed to adequately justify the imposition of a custodial sentence, rather than alternative measures such as a fine or house arrest.
The report also notes that Amaghlobeli’s right to the presumption of innocence was breached by the public statements made before the final verdict by senior Georgian Dream officials, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze
“These deficiencies in the trial, including the sudden reclassification of the charges, were not substantively cured on appeal,” the report said, adding that the appellate court “likewise minimized the relevance and value of defense evidence.”
The report concluded the case involved documented violations of Amaghlobeli’s rights under the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, finding that her trial was “unfair and in breach of the presumption of innocence” and did not meet international standards.
Also Read:
- 12/01/2026 – One Year After Arrest, Diplomatic Missions Reiterate Call to Free Mzia Amaghlobeli
- 07/08/2025 – International and Domestic Reactions to Mzia Amaghlobeli’s Verdict
- 19/06/2025 – European Parliament Demands Journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli’s ‘Immediate’ and ‘Unconditional’ Release