Belarusian and Georgian Journalists Win 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
The European Parliament has awarded the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to two imprisoned journalists, Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia. The award, which honours exceptional courage in defending human rights and democracy, will be presented on 16th December in Strasbourg.
Announcing the laureates, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola praised their bravery: “By awarding this year’s Sakharov Prize to Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli, we honour two journalists whose courage shines as a beacon for all who refuse to be silenced. Both have paid a heavy price for speaking truth to power.”
Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist, blogger, and activist from Belarus’s Polish minority, is known for his outspoken criticism of Alexander Lukashenka’s regime. Detained since 2021 and sentenced to eight years in a penal colony, his health has reportedly worsened, and his family is denied visits. The European Parliament has repeatedly demanded his immediate and unconditional release, calling the charges against him politically motivated.
Mzia Amaglobeli, director of Georgian outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested in January 2025 for joining anti-government protests and later sentenced to two years in prison. As Georgia’s first female political prisoner since independence, she has become a powerful symbol of the country’s pro-democracy movement, challenging the ruling Georgian Dream party after the disputed 2024 elections.
The Parliament continues to back democratic movements in both Belarus and Georgia, condemning repression, political persecution, and attacks on media freedom.
Named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, the prize is the EU’s highest honour for human rights advocacy. Past laureates include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Ales Bialiatski, and Maria Corina Machado, who later received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
This year’s winners, imprisoned yet unbroken, embody the spirit of the Sakharov Prize: the unyielding fight for truth, freedom, and dignity.
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