Popular Georgian outlet Batumelebi faces closure over tax debts. Readers are joining forces to save it
Batumelebi accounts frozen in Georgia
The Revenue Service of Georgia has frozen the accounts and seized the property of the popular media outlet Batumelebi, accusing it of failing to pay taxes amounting to 282,191 lari (around $105,000). Readers and fellow journalists from other independent media quickly rallied in support.
They launched a fundraising campaign, and by the time this article was published, a sum large enough to cover most of the debt had already been collected.
Donations are being accepted to the following accounts:
#GE93TB0850845062122335 — Zviad Koridze (TBC)
#GE11BG0000000122153100 — Gela Mtivlishvili (Bank of Georgia)
Amid this show of public support, the Revenue Service softened its stance. Although it had previously rejected the outlet’s request three times, it has now agreed to offer a repayment schedule for the remaining debt.
Batumelebi is the newspaper whose founder and director, Mzia Amaghlobeli, has been held in pretrial detention for seven months. She was arrested after slapping the head of Batumi police, who had insulted her.
The final court hearing is scheduled for August 1, when she will be sentenced. If convicted, she faces between four and seven years in prison under the criminal charges brought against her.
“The official reason for the asset freeze is tax debt. The real reason is to force us to stop working,” the editorial team stated.
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What happened?
LLC Batumelebi includes two media outlets — Batumelebi, based in the Ajara region, and Netgazeti. As of July 21, Batumelebi’s debt to the state amounts to 282,191 lari (approximately $105,000).
This total includes the principal debt of 47,000 lari (around $17,000), accrued interest of 126,000 lari (about $46,000), and a fine of 109,000 lari (roughly $40,000).
The outlet acknowledged the debt and had been repaying it in installments. However, a few days ago, the Revenue Service contacted the editorial team and demanded full repayment of the remaining debt within five days.
They warned that if this wasn’t done, the outlet’s accounts would be emptied, its assets seized, and the National Bureau of Enforcement would begin selling off the organization’s property — including office and editorial equipment.
The Batumelebi editorial team formally requested a debt repayment schedule, which is permitted under Georgia’s Tax Code. However, the request was denied.
On July 17, Batumelebi’s accounts were frozen.
Statement by the Batumelebi editorial team
“The sudden demand for full repayment of the debt and all related actions are aimed at bankrupting the founder, Mzia Amaghlobeli, and ultimately destroying the media organization she created.
This is confirmed by one simple fact:
According to official data from the Revenue Service dated May 21, 2025, the debt owed by the (pro-government) Imedi TV channel amounts to 17 million lari (about $6 million), and Rustavi 2 (also considered pro-government) owes 25 million lari (about $9 million).
The declared goal of the Ministry of Finance should by no means be the suppression or obstruction of media operations. Its aim should be to support business development, collect taxes, and contribute to the country’s growth.
Especially given that freedom of speech is one of the core values of a democratic state, and its abolition is equivalent to the abolition of the state itself.”
On the same day the asset seizure was announced, Mzia Amaghlobeli was offered a plea deal
The story about the urgent demand to repay the debt became public on July 21. On that very day, Mzia Amaghlobeli was offered a plea deal.
Her trial at the Batumi City Court is in its final stages. On August 1, the defense will deliver its closing statement, after which judge Nino Sahelashvili is expected to announce the verdict. The charges against Amaghlobeli carry a sentence of 4 to 7 years in prison.
The prosecutor in the case, Tornike Gogeshvili, said: “If they are ready, we are ready to consider a plea deal.” He added that Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze, whom Mzia allegedly slapped and who is listed as the victim in the case, has also agreed to a potential deal.
Defense attorney Maia Tsariahsvili said after the hearing that Mzia does not consider herself guilty and rules out the possibility of a plea agreement.
“The prosecutor’s offer echoes the government’s narrative: that Mzia attacked on the orders of the U.S. State Department, that some unknown figures gave her instructions, and so on.
The prosecution suggests a more lenient sentence if Mzia admits to things she didn’t do – insulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and assault.
We’ve been hearing this since day one. She’s been repeatedly offered to repent and confess. This is nothing more than violence under the guise of the law. They’re telling her: this is the kind of court we have, you have no chance. If you want to be released, you have to be convicted of something you didn’t do,” said Maia Tsariahsvili.
Campaign in support of Batumelebi
On July 21, the day it became public that the full debt must be repaid, journalists from many media outlets launched a campaign in support of Batumelebi. In a joint statement, they acknowledged that the editor of the publication, Eter Turadze, opposed the campaign, but stressed that colleagues see it as a necessary step to save the two independent media outlets.
In an interview with Formula TV, Eter Turadze said that, given the current situation in the country – with more than 50 political prisoners and thousands of people fined – she is firmly against raising funds in support of Batumelebi.
“I know that our colleagues opened accounts where a significant amount has already been transferred. On the one hand, I feel extremely uncomfortable. But on the other, I feel very happy that people are donating even one or two lari to support Batumelebi,” said Eter Turadze.
On July 22 at noon, Batumelebi announced that, thanks to support from readers and fellow journalists, they had managed to repay the principal part of the debt – 47,000 lari (about $17,000).
In their statement, they thanked readers and once again emphasized that all the tools used by the authorities in this situation are aimed at Mzia Amaghlobeli personally and the independent media she built.
Later that same day, amid significant public outcry, the Revenue Service issued an official statement.
It said that if a tax agreement is reached, they are ready to lift the freeze on Batumelebi’s accounts and allow the remaining debt to be repaid according to a payment schedule – something they had previously refused to do.
How society in Georgia and abroad reacted
The international human rights organization Amnesty International described the asset freeze as an act of pressure on Batumelebi.
“The accounts of the independent Georgian media outlet Batumelebi were frozen after the media reported alleged cases of police violence against Mzia Amaghlobeli, who is unlawfully detained and facing an unfair trial. Amnesty calls for all allegations of police violence to be properly investigated,” the organization said in a statement.
“The Georgian Dream is trying to cover up corruption and crimes against the Georgian people by suppressing the free press. They are trying to silence journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, who has been in custody since January on politically motivated charges,” reads a statement from the U.S. Helsinki Commission, published on July 22.
The campaign in support of Batumelebi is ongoing. Organizers report that the outlet still needs to pay off accrued interest (126,000 lari) and penalties (109,000 lari).
Donations can be made to the following accounts:
#GE93TB0850845062122335 — Zviad Koridze (TBC Bank)
#GE11BG0000000122153100 — Gela Mtivlishvili (Bank of Georgia)
Support for Batumelebi and Netgazeti can also be provided through other channels — for example, funds are being raised via GoFundMe to support the media outlets.
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