Wed Oct 22 11:10:19 UTC 2025: Summary:
Two journalists, Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaghlobeli from Georgia, have been awarded the European Union’s prestigious Sakharov Prize for human rights. Poczobut is imprisoned in Belarus for allegedly harming national security, while Amaghlobeli is imprisoned in Georgia for allegedly assaulting a police officer during a protest. Both cases are seen by rights groups as politically motivated attempts to suppress media freedom. EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola emphasized their courage as symbols of the fight for freedom and democracy. The award carries a €50,000 endowment and will be presented in December.
News Article:
EU Honors Jailed Journalists with Sakharov Prize
BRUSSELS, October 22, 2025 – The European Parliament has awarded the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to two journalists currently imprisoned: Andrzej Poczobut of Belarus and Mzia Amaghlobeli of Georgia. The announcement was made today by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
Andrzej Poczobut, a correspondent for the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, is serving an eight-year sentence in Belarus, convicted on charges of “harming Belarus’ national security.” Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of two independent media outlets in Georgia, was sentenced to two years in prison for allegedly assaulting a police chief during an anti-government protest.
Human rights organizations have condemned both cases as politically motivated, alleging attempts to silence critical voices and suppress media freedom.
“Both are journalists currently in prison on trumped up charges simply for doing their work and for speaking out against injustice,” said Ms. Metsola. “Their courage has made them symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy.”
The Sakharov Prize, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, is awarded annually to individuals or groups who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. Previous laureates include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a Sakharov Prize recipient herself in 2020, praised the award, stating that it “sends a strong message to all political prisoners that you are not alone and journalism is not a crime.”
The award comes with a €50,000 endowment and will be presented at a ceremony in Strasbourg in December. The European Parliament hopes that this recognition will bring attention to the plight of journalists facing persecution and imprisonment around the world.
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