Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia received the award in recognition of their courage in defending human rights, freedom of expression, and democracy. Named after Soviet dissident and Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharov, the prize is the EU's highest tribute to human rights defenders.
Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish-Belarusian journalist, has been detained since 2021 and is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence on charges of undermining national security. His only “crime” was reporting the truth. Despite deteriorating health, Poczobut has endured extended periods in solitary confinement.
Mzia Amaglobeli, director of Georgian online media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested in January 2025 after joining anti-government protests. She received a two-year prison sentence on political grounds, becoming the first female political prisoner since Georgia gained independence.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola presented the award to representatives of both journalists, emphasizing that “speaking truth to power must never be a crime.” She called for their immediate release, stating that the Parliament “honours two journalists whose courage shines as a beacon for all who refuse to be silenced.”
Following the disputed 2020 presidential election, in which longtime leader Aliaksandr Lukashenka claimed over 80% of the vote, Belarus has witnessed systematic repression of independent voices. Peaceful protests were violently crushed, and the government intensified its crackdown on independent media and civil society organizations.
Today, Belarus holds more than 1,000 recognized political prisoners, including 33 journalists and media workers. Many face torture, harsh conditions, and incommunicado detention. Poczobut is the fourth Belarusian to receive the Sakharov Prize, following the democratic opposition (2020), Aliaksandr Milinkevich (2006), and the Belarusian Association of Journalists (2004).
Georgia's democratic trajectory has sharply reversed under the ruling Georgian Dream party. After the EU granted the country candidate status, the government adopted a controversial “foreign agents” law that the Council of Europe's Venice Commission warned would undermine pluralism and democracy. The European Council concluded this represented democratic backsliding that effectively halted Georgia's EU accession process.
The October 26, 2024 parliamentary elections, won again by Georgian Dream, were marred by what OSCE/ODIHR observers described as divisive rhetoric and widespread voter intimidation. When the government announced in November 2024 that it would suspend EU integration talks until 2028, mass protests erupted and continue to face violent suppression.
Over 60 people are now considered political prisoners in Georgia. Amaglobeli is the first Georgian to receive the Sakharov Prize.
About the Prize
The Sakharov Prize has been awarded annually since 1988 and comes with €50,000. Past laureates include Nelson Mandela (1988), Alexei Navalny (2021), and María Corina Machado (2024)—who was recently also awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
The 2025 finalists included Poczobut and Amaglobeli, journalists and humanitarian workers in Palestine and conflict zones (represented by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Red Crescent, and UNRWA), and Serbian students.
The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament's political groups announced the decision on October 22, 2025.
Pictures: Courtesy of the European Parliament
