Mzia Amaglobeli shortlisted for Vaclav Havel Prize

The imprisoned founder of Batumelebi/Netgazeti publications Mzia Amaglobeli has been nominated for the 2025 Vaclav Havel Prize.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on August 14, a solidarity rally was held in Tbilisi with journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, who was sentenced to two years, before the traditional gathering of protesters on Rustaveli Avenue.

The founder and director of the newspapers "Netgazeti" and "Batumelebi" Mzia Amaglobeli was included in the list of finalists for the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize along with Azerbaijani and Ukrainian journalists. In addition to Mzia Amaglobeli, the finalists included Ukrainian journalist Maksym Butkevych and Azerbaijani journalist Ulvi Hasanli, Batumelebi reports.

The statement released noted that Mzia Amaglobeli “has been a pioneer of Georgian journalism since 2000.”

“Despite her politically motivated imprisonment and harsh treatment after she exposed violations during the protests, her courageous actions helped draw attention to the repression of the media and political abuses aimed at securing Georgia’s democratic future. Her arrest and subsequent conviction in 2025 made her a symbol of press freedom and resilience in the face of government repression, highlighting the important role of journalists in protecting human rights,” the selection committee noted.

The winner of the Václav Havel Prize will be announced in Strasbourg on September 29, TV Pirveli reports.

The Havel Prize is an annual award for outstanding service to the protection of human rights in Europe and beyond. It has been awarded by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe jointly with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation since 2013. The prize consists of 60,000 euros, a trophy and a diploma.