Mzia Amaghlobeli, co-founder of an independent online media outlet Batumelebi, has become a target of discreditation by representatives of the Georgian Dream, pro-government media, and other actors. She was arrested on January 11 and charged with assaulting a police officer for slapping the head of the Batumi police, Irakli Dgebuadze. The charge carries a prison sentence of 4 to 7 years. Amaghlobeli has gone on hunger strike in prison, but this has not deterred the Georgian Dream.
Politicians from the Georgian Dream, pro-government media, and Georgian Dream supporters consider Amaghlobeli’s action a crime. They claim that her hunger strike is an attempt to avoid responsibility, while the political opposition is trying to turn her into a “sacred victim” to gain international support. Pro-government actors and media portray Amaghlobeli as an “attacker of police officers” and a “grant-guzzling activist” who operates under the financing of foreign foundations and purposefully discredits state institutions. They claim that her case and the related protests are orchestrated by foreign forces aiming to destabilize the government. Meanwhile, some social media and pro-Russian actors have used sexist and dehumanizing rhetoric against Amaghlobeli, calling her protest a farce and likening it to a “Saakashvili 2 scenario” in an attempt to stir negative emotions against the protest.
Facebook reactions and comments on online media reports about Amaghlobeli showed increased activity from troll accounts.
According to Myth Detector’s monitoring, conducted between January 14 and February 9, the following messages were spread against Mzia Amaghlobeli:
- Amaghlobeli’s pseudo hunger strike is a repeat of the Saakashvili scenario;
- The West, through controlled media and the opposition, is trying to create unrest in Georgia;
- Attacking a police officer is equivalent to attacking the state and is punishable in every country;
- The basis of a humane approach can only be an admission of guilt, but Amaghlobeli shows no remorse.
The above messages have been disseminated by the following actors:
- The Georgian Dream politicians: Irakli Kobakhidze, Shalva Papuashvili, Kakha Kaladze, Davit Matikashvili, Tornike Rizhvadze;
- Pro-government media and journalists: POSTV, Shalva Ramishvili (POSTV), Zviad Avaliani (POSTV), Liza Gegechkori (former POSTV anchor), Natia Beridze (POSTV);
- The Georgian Dream-aligned experts: Levan Nikoleishvili (United Neutral Georgia), Zaal Anjaparidze (analyst), Bondo Mdzinarashvili (member of the Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees);
- Pro-Russian/anti-liberal actors: Nikoloz Mzhavanadze (Sezoni TV), Soso Shatberashvili (Left Alliance), Jumber Tavartkiladze (Georgian March), Levan Gabashvili (Georgia and the World), Giorgi Arghvliani (Solidarity for Peace), Irakli Zakareishvili (lawyer);
- Anti-opposition, anti-Western Facebook pages: Anti-Maidan, Politicians from 1 Lari, China News.
-
Accusations of Fake Hunger Strike and Offensive Comments
Georgian Dream politicians and other anti-Western actors do not consider Mzia Amaghlobeli’s arrest an issue of media freedom; instead, they frame the incident as an activist action directed against the state. Irakli Kobakhidze sought to downplay the significance of Amaghlobeli’s protest by drawing parallels with Mikheil Saakashvili’s hunger strike, portraying it as yet another political show aimed at gaining international support.
Pro-Russian and anti-liberal actors have used even more aggressive rhetoric, attempting to belittle Amaghlobeli’s protest through personal humiliation and insults. They have engaged in her moral discreditation with sexist and dehumanizing rhetoric, calling her a “grant guzzler” and a “mutant.” Special emphasis was placed on her appearance and body size, linking these comments to her hunger strike. Particularly offensive language was used by Giorgi Arghvliani, a representative of the political party Solidarity for Peace.
Giorgi Arghvliani, regional secretary of the Solidarity for Peace party: “Mzia Amaghlobeli, the lady who founded Batumelebi and Netgazeti, and a grant-guzzling lady who has eaten so well that her cheeks are plump and, probably, another part of her body too. And as is customary in the criminal underworld, she slapped the police officer and has been on a hunger strike for 15 days now, supposedly fighting for the truth. I apologize to the viewers, but they’re getting fat like pigs. Just like Saakashvili. He managed to have gastric resection surgery – maybe she did it too and planned for prison… Now she’s on a diet, and they’ve surrounded her with doctors, giving her massages from head to toe, monitoring her blood pressure – things she probably never had access to before. She’ll lose 15 kilos, come out slim, and then present herself as a respectable lady. Honestly, nothing about them is worth paying attention to. I simply urge the government not to consider anything they say and, on the contrary, to make it even stricter.”
This statement, made by Giorgi Arghvliani on the air of the Solidarity for Peace platform, was shared by lawyer Irakli Zakareishvili on his personal Facebook account.
In its post, the Facebook page “Politicians from 1 Lari” referred to Mzia Amaghlobeli using offensive epithets such as “neurotic,” “rude,” and “sold to a foreign country” while also criticizing Salome Zourabichvili for supporting her.
To draw parallels with Mikheil Saakashvili’s hunger strike, on February 9, former POSTV journalist Liza Gegechkori posted an edited image in which Amaghlobeli’s face was superimposed onto a well-known photo of Saakashvili’s hunger strike. Later that day, another POSTV journalist, Natia Beridze, shared the same altered image (archived link). Some members of their audience mistakenly believed the image to be real, prompting Beridze to later clarify in the post description that the photo had been edited.
Earlier, the Facebook page Anti-Maidan, created to discredit pro-European protests, compared Amaghlobeli’s hunger strike to that of Saakashvili. The post falsely claimed that Amaghlobeli was taking yogurt, essential vitamins, and medications.
On February 1, a pro-China and anti-Western Facebook page, ჩინეთის ამბები • China News, posted an ironic message in the ანტიმაიდანი! – Antimaidani! group regarding Amaghlobeli’s hunger strike. The accompanying image featured Amaghlobeli with the text: “Mzia Amaghlobeli has been on a hunger strike for 187 days.” The caption mockingly added, “Record broken.”
“The West, through controlled media and the opposition, is trying to create unrest in Georgia, while the protests are part of foreign interests rather than a natural reaction from society.”
Pro-government actors and Georgian Dream politicians have spread messages suggesting that protest rallies, including those in Batumi, are orchestrated by the U.S., the deep state, or other foreign powers. They claim that the ultimate goal of these actions is to overthrow the government and create chaos in Georgia. In this narrative, opposition parties and activists are portrayed as Western proxies, while journalists, including Mzia Amaghlobeli, are referred to as protest organizers. Government-aligned spokespeople claim that the defense of Amaghlobeli is an artificially created political scandal fueled by “foreign powers.” Furthermore, pro-government messaging frames the protests and Amaghlobeli’s case as “part of an organized attack against the state.” Thus, rather than treating Amaghlobeli’s case as an isolated incident, pro-government actors present it as a campaign orchestrated by the opposition and international actors.
Additionally, pro-government media claim that the opposition is using Amaghlobeli’s hunger strike to manufacture a political crisis and create a “sacrificial victim.” They also argue that Batumelebi and Netgazeti are not impartial media outlets but rather political activists funded by the West, engaged in an anti-government propaganda campaign.
| Georgian Dream Politicians | Pro-Government Media | Pro-Russian/Anti-Liberal Actors |
| Shalva Papuashvili, Georgian Dream: “Batumelebi and Netgazeti are fully funded from abroad, and this has become clear. Instead of developing unbiased journalism, they have fostered biased political activism. What business did journalists have with the police, other than reporting what was happening there? This is the result of foreign-funded media, where instead of journalism, we have political activism, which has led to this situation.” | Shalva Ramishvili, anchor at POSTV: “They always started by saying they wanted a sacrificial victim. They didn’t say it directly, but that’s the plan. Now they think they’ve found the individual whose health might be at risk, but the penitentiary system is not saying this. So, that means it’s not true. They want to score points at the expense of this person’s health. When a very simple plan – staging a provocation – didn’t work, now she is some sort of moral authority for them, and they think by sacrificing this person, more turmoil will be created. This is it. That’s why that crazy guy from America and some Europeans mention Mzia Amaghlobeli.” | Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, anchor at Sezoni TV: “When we hear an American senator say that Amaghlobeli should be released, it’s already clear what happened. It wasn’t Amaghlobeli who slapped Irakli Dgebuadze; it was the United States that slapped him, just through Amaghlobeli’s hand. The United States is behind everything happening in this country. Friends, it is, of course, the United States that is behind the attack on the parliament, the insults to the police, and all this.” |
| Davit Matikashvili, Georgian Dream: “No means can be used to blackmail or pressure Georgia in such a way that impunity for such crimes would become a common occurrence in society. This cannot happen. Therefore, naturally, anyone who calls for such things – be it the diplomatic corps, representatives of international organizations, or particular officials of foreign countries – directly insults our country’s constitution, the criminal code, and the society that recognizes justice and the rule of law.” | Zviad Avaliani, anchor at POSTV: “The fact is, they want to destabilize the situation in Georgia; they want a change of government here. They don’t care about Mzia Amaghlobeli or anyone else who has been arrested. This is all an excuse. […] Let me explain once more to the public what forces we are dealing with; I call these forces the party of the global war, which has weakened in America but unfortunately is still strong in Europe. Hopefully, it will weaken there as well.” | Levan Gabashvili, Georgia and the World: “Our colleague [Mzia Amaghlobeli] slapped a police officer during a live broadcast, and to this day, they are protesting against her arrest. The most important thing is that American Joe Wilson is protesting against this, who knows better than anyone that if something similar had happened in the USA, not only the journalist and editor, but even the president, would have been arrested. Wilson knows that in America, any physical contact with the police could end in the officer shooting, and no one would say anything about it.” |
| POSTV – Politics: “Mzia Amaghlobeli was one of the key figures in the scenario devised by the global war party. She was among the organizers of the protest in Batumi. […] Despite video evidence of physical violence by her, she is portrayed as a prisoner of the regime and a hero. […] The goal of the deep state is simple: to dismantle state institutions and create chaos.” |
-
“პოლიციელზე თავდასხმა სახელმწიფოზე თავდასხმის ტოლფასია და ყველა ქვეყანაში ისჯება”
According to politicians from the Georgian Dream party, pro-government media, and other individuals, Mzia Amaghlobeli’s actions (slapping a police officer) should not be considered political activism but rather a crime against the state. Davit Matikashvili (the Georgian Dream), Jumber Tavartkiladze (the Georgian March), Zaal Anjaparidze (government-aligned analyst), and Levan Nikoleishvili (the United Neutral Georgia) assert that such an act would not have gone unpunished in other countries and that Amaghlobeli, like any other citizen, should remain in prison. Matikashvili emphasizes that a hunger strike is not an indulgence, and the responsibility lies with the prisoner. Tavartkiladze argues that if this had happened during Saakashvili’s rule, the outcome would have been more severe. Nikoleishvili ironically points out that the opposition tries to mobilize international support, but violence against police officers is not tolerated even in the West.
Zviad Avaliani (POSTV) and Nikoloz Mzhavanadze (Sezoni TV) assert that the opposition is artificially trying to portray Amaghlobeli as a “political prisoner.” Avaliani draws a parallel with Molotov cocktail shootings and criticizes opposition media for presenting Amaghlobeli as innocent. Mzhavanadze states that Amaghlobeli’s actions amount to a full insult to the police, and her imprisonment must continue. They reject the opposing narrative that the case is about political persecution and attempt to portray Amaghlobeli’s actions as a deliberate provocation against the state.
| Politicians from the Georgian Dream | Pro-Government Media and Experts | Anti-Liberal/Pro-Russian Media and Other Actors |
| Davit Matikashvili, Georgian Dream: “If you name one country in the world where a police officer can be slapped, and all of this remains unpunished, that could be the basis for discussing this issue, but there is no such country, because attacking a police officer is an attack on the state, and such an attack, of course, should not go unpunished.” | Zviad Avaliani, anchor at POSTV: “Are those people who threw Molotov cocktails and set police officers on fire political prisoners? Or is Ms. Mzia a political prisoner for doing what she did? I wonder, if I go to Strasbourg and slap a police officer there and am arrested for that, will anyone consider me a political prisoner?” | Soso Shatberashvili, Left Alliance: “In no country should state-funded television express solidarity with a state criminal [talking about Mzia Amaghlobeli]. This woman has committed a state crime, and a very serious one.” |
| Davit Matikashvili, Georgian Dream: “When you attack a police officer, you are attacking the state, and you should be held adequately accountable for what you are doing. The fact that a particular prisoner [Mzia Amaghlobeli] is on a hunger strike is, of course, not a positive thing. We are concerned about her health condition, just as we are concerned about any prisoner’s health. Before any action is taken, it needs to be understood, because if an action is criminal, it requires a response. After this, declaring a hunger strike cannot be considered an indulgence.” | Levan Nikoleishvili, United Neutral Georgia: “The entire political opposition, NGOs, and partisan TV stations are outraged that the director of Batumelebi, Mzia Amaghlobeli, was arrested. We are waiting for the harshest statements and sanctions from the Baltics, from Joe Wilson, and from Blinken, and probably Zelenskyy will say a word or two. By the way, I wonder if in any European country or in the U.S., they would consider arresting a person for slapping a police officer in the face sufficient?” | Jumber Tavartkiladze, Georgian March: “In general, it’s amazing. If someone had done this in America [talking about Mzia Amaghlobeli], they would have already been placed in prison, or if it had happened in Germany, or somewhere else. Had this happened during Saakashvili’s rule, he would have sent her together with her family to prison for sure.” |
| Tornike Rizhvadze, Head of the Government of Adjara: “No profession provides indulgence for a specific person [referring to Mzia Amaghlobeli’s case]. In the case of attacking a police officer, there should be no way to escape the corresponding punishment and responsibility.” | Zaal Anjapharidze, analyst: “Yesterday they announced that the director of Batumelebi was arrested, but they didn’t say why. Some saw it as a suppression of media. But it became known what had really happened! This is how they imagine moving towards Europe. This woman will probably also join the list of false ‘heroes’ that have recently been created and imposed on us.
Now, a simple question: is physical assault on a police officer punishable in Europe and America? Yes, it is, and quite severely punishable.” |
Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, anchor at Sezoni TV: “Can this woman be considered a political prisoner? Fifty cameras were filming that incident, and now they’re saying that Dgebuadze spat in her face. If that had happened, it would have been recorded. The evidence is here that she slapped him, and you show me the evidence that someone really didn’t let her go to the toilet or something like this. Sorry, but this woman should serve her sentence in prison in full. No way should we show any leniency to people who slap or raise their hands against police officers, under no circumstances.” |
-
The Georgian Dream demands an admission of guilt and an apology from Mzia Amaglobeli
Politicians from the Georgian Dream, Kaha Kaladze and Irakli Kobakhidze, claim that Mzia Amaglobeli and her supporters have not expressed remorse, which, according to them, cannot serve as the basis for a humane approach. Kaladze asserts that everyone may make mistakes, but Amaglobeli’s case should be treated as a crime because she physically touched a police officer. According to Kobakhidze, humanity can be shown if a person regrets their actions, but this is not visible in the behavior of Amaglobeli and her supporters. He emphasizes that Amaglobeli’s behavior aimed to undermine the image of the police and state institutions. According to Bondo Mdzinarashvili, a member of the Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees, there are double standards in society – the demand for an apology from Amaglobeli is perceived negatively, while in other cases (for example, the case of Vazha Gaprindashvili), apologizing is seen as an act of heroism.
Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream: “When it comes to humanity, a certain act can be considered humane if someone repents for something. That’s where you can talk about it humanely. Otherwise, an act can only be regarded as a manifestation of inadequacy. If these people had come out and said a simple thing, that this lady behaved very badly and that a police officer or a representative of the state cannot be insulted, it would have been a different matter. You know that the police is one of the most respected state institutions in the eyes of the Georgian people, and you go and try to demonstratively undermine the image of this state institution, well, this was all aimed at nothing else.”
-
Troll Activity
Troll accounts also commented on the issue of Mzia Amaglobeli’s imprisonment and hunger strike on social media. Myth Detector identified 11 suspicious accounts that conceal their identities, do not provide their real names, lack personal photos, and their profiles contain no information that could help identify them.
Most of these accounts uploaded their first photo after 2021, which may indicate the creation date of these accounts. In a post published by the news agency InterPressNews, which stated that Amaglobeli was requesting to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility, five fake accounts left comments. Some of the comments were ironic, while others addressed non-governmental organizations, including the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), claiming that despite Amaglobeli’s well-being, they were still trying to keep her in the clinic and provide treatment. Some of the troll accounts reacted with laughing emojis to a post by the online agency News.on.ge, which was about the statements of European politicians demanding Amaglobeli’s release, and to a card shared by Tabula regarding the 17th day of Mzia Amaglobeli’s hunger strike.
| 1. Iro Iro | The profile contains no identifiable information. The first photo was uploaded in August 2022, which may indicate the creation date of the profile. It has commented on an InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s request to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility.
|
 |
|
| 2. Zura Zura | The account first uploaded a photo in December 2024, possibly indicating the creation date of the profile. It has also posted supporting content for the Georgian Dream and Donald Trump. The account has liked pro-government and anti-opposition Facebook pages. No identifiable information is present.
The profile link shows a different name: mixeil.jvarsheishvili.7. It has commented on the InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s request to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility.
|
 |
|
| 3. Maka Lomia | The account’s cover photo was uploaded in May 2021, which might indicate the creation date of the profile. It has three friends, one of which is the Patriarchate’s public relations department. No identifiable information is present.
It has commented on the InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s request to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility.
|
 |
|
| 4. Accuracy of truth | The account uploaded its first photo in February 2023, which may indicate the creation date of the profile. No identifiable information is available. It has commented on the InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s request to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility.
|
 |
|
| 5. Avlip Freud | The account uploaded a photo in January 2023, which may indicate the creation date. No identifiable information is found. The account has four friends and mostly liked pages of news agencies.
It has commented on the InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s request to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility.
|
 |
|
| 6. Na Na | The account uploaded a photo in March 2024, which could indicate the creation date. No identifiable information is present.
The account reacted with a laughing emoji to an InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli. |
 |
|
| 7, David James | The account uploaded its first photo in June 2022, which may indicate the profile’s creation date. It positions itself as selling auto parts, but no contact information is provided. The account has reacted with a laughing emoji to an InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s request to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility. |
 |
|
| 8. Tata Dadiani | The account first uploaded a photo in June 2021, which may indicate the profile’s creation date. There is no identifiable photo, and it has no friends with the same surname. It shares pro-government posts. It reacted with a laughing emoji to an InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s request to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility. |
 |
|
| 9. Georgia Mamuka | The account’s first photo was uploaded in June 2021. No identifiable information is available. It shares pro-Russian and government-supporting posts. It reacted with a laughing emoji to an InterPressNews post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s request to be transferred from the clinic to a penitentiary facility. |
 |
|
| 10. Anti Liberal | The account uploaded its first photo in January 2025, which might indicate the creation date. No identifiable information is available. The account reacted with a laughing emoji to a News.on.ge post about European politicians’ statements on Mzia Amaglobeli’s release. |
 |
|
| 11. Iakob Odelich | The account has no posts or identifiable information. It reacted with a laughing emoji to a News.on.ge post about European politicians’ statements on Mzia Amaglobeli’s release.
|
 |
|
| 12. Gio Gio | The account has no photo, post, or any other identifiable information. It has mostly liked the Facebook pages of news agencies. It reacted with a laughing emoji to a Tabula post about Mzia Amaglobeli’s hunger strike. |
 |
