'I will try to restore my nutrition with help of doctors' – Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli ends hunger strike
Mzia Amaglobeli ends hunger strike
Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of the independent Georgian outlets Netgazeti and Batumelebi, has decided to resume eating on the 38th day of her hunger strike. She informed her colleagues of her decision in a letter, which was read aloud by Batumelebi‘s editor-in-chief, Eteri Turadze, in the courtyard of the Vivamedi clinic.
“In light of the tragedy in Batumi, where two underage children fell into a ditch and died, it is incredibly difficult for me to hear the public’s concern about my health and well-being.
In the coming days, I will try to restore my nutrition with the help of doctors.
I want to express my gratitude to political prisoners Temur Katamadze and Nikoloz Javakhishvili for their solidarity and ask them to end their hunger strike as well. I feel a deep responsibility toward my colleagues, partners, friends, and family.
I do not want my hunger to weaken you—you must fight in my place.“
These words were shared in a letter from Mzia Amaglobeli, read aloud by Batumelebi editor-in-chief Eteri Turadze outside the Vivamedi clinic.
Mzia Amaglobeli’s hunger strike: Doctor warns of health risks
Following the release of Mzia Amaglobeli’s letter, the director of the Vivamedi clinic, Zurab Chkhaidze, confirmed that she would remain in the hospital and begin the process of nutritional recovery under medical supervision.
He stressed that the process is complex and carries significant risks.
“A hunger strike of this duration is extremely dangerous. After 30 days without food, the function of various organs can begin to deteriorate daily, potentially leading to severe consequences.
We will continue the treatment process at the clinic, which will include preventive measures against refeeding syndrome. This is a serious condition that occurs when food intake is resumed after prolonged starvation. It is associated with metabolic imbalances, including disturbances in fluid-electrolyte balance, carbohydrate metabolism, and insulin regulation. These disruptions can, in turn, lead to organ failure.
That’s why we will proceed with extreme caution, and the clinic is fully prepared,” Chkhaidze said.
He added that the first two days after ending the hunger strike are critical and that Amaglobeli’s condition will be closely monitored on a daily basis.
Сase of Mzia Amaglobeli
Mzia Amaglobeli is the first female journalist in Georgia to be recognized as a prisoner of conscience. She has been in jail for over a month on charges of “assaulting a police officer” and faces a prison sentence of four to seven years.
On January 11, during a protest in Batumi, Amaglobeli was detained twice. The first arrest was for posting materials calling for a general strike. She was released on bail a few hours later. The second arrest followed after she slapped Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze—an incident that was reportedly preceded by provocative actions from the police.
A court ordered pretrial detention as a preventive measure. On February 13, Amaglobeli’s lawyers filed a motion with Batumi City Court, arguing that her detention was unjustified. The court rejected the request.
Amaglobeli began a hunger strike the moment she was arrested. February 18 marked the 38th day of her protest. In letters sent from prison, she stressed that her hunger strike was a stand against injustice, not an attempt to secure better conditions for herself.
On February 4, due to a deterioration in her health, she was transferred to Vivamedi clinic. By February 17, the clinic’s director, for the first time, used the term “fatal outcome” when describing her condition.
“I can tell you that her overall condition exhibits all the symptoms associated with a hunger strike at this stage.
I would like to appeal to her colleagues, supporters, family members, and lawyers to persuade Mzia to fully comply with our recommendations. Most importantly, this concerns resuming food intake to prevent a fatal outcome,”* said Vivamediclinic director Zurab Chkhaidze.
