TBILISI, October 22 – Two imprisoned journalists from Georgia and Belarus have been named the winners of the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the European Parliament’s top human rights award.
Announcing the decision in Strasbourg, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola praised their courage, saying that example shown by Georgia’s Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of the independent news outlets Netgazeti and Batumelebi, and Belarusian reporter Andrzej Poczobut “shines as a beacon to all who refuse to be silenced.”
Both journalists are currently imprisoned in their respective countries. Amaghlobeli was detained earlier this year in Georgia during post-election protests. Poczobut, a veteran correspondent for Gazeta Wyborcza and a prominent voice for Belarus’s Polish minority, has been serving a lengthy prison sentence since 2021.
The Sakharov Prize, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, has been awarded annually since 1988 to individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to human rights, democracy, and freedom of expression. Previous laureates include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, and Alexei Navalny.
This year’s award carries a EUR 50,000 grant. The official ceremony will take place on December 16 in Strasbourg, though it remains unclear whether either of the laureates will be able to attend.
