2025 Sakharov Prize goes to Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli
Imprisoned journalists Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia were awarded the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
Parliament President Roberta Metsola awarded the prize at a ceremony at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 16 December.
Andrzej Poczobut’s daughter Jana was there on his behalf, while Mzia Amaglobeli was represented by fellow journalist Irma Dimitradze.
With the Sakharov Prize, the European Parliament seeks to distinguish individuals or organisations across the world that stand up against repression to defend democracy and human rights.
Metsola said: “Our European democracy is built on freedom of thought and expression. We know how much these values are worth. And we will never surrender them.”
“Democracy cannot be silenced. And although they cannot be with us today, Andrzej and Mzia’s urgent calls for democracy ring clear in this chamber and across our continent,” Parliament’s president added. “We call for their immediate release along with every person wrongfully imprisoned. (...) We will not forget them, we will never abandon them. Until the age of dictators is finally over.”
Jana Poczobut called receiving the award on behalf of her father“deeply emotional”. Turning to MEPs, she said: “You show that even when a person is taken away, their principles cannot be taken away. And even when someone is silenced, their voice continues to speak through others. Your recognition cannot change the past, but it gives us something extremely precious for the future: the belief that justice and humanity still have a place in this world.”
Irma Dimitradze read out a speech prepared by Mzia Amaglobeli, who called for international support for Georgia’s struggle: “Fight with us and for us. Fight as you would fight for the freedom of your own countries. Use every mechanism at your disposal and do so before it is too late. I believe this is possible. I believe in free, democratic and strong Europe!”
About the laureates of the 2025 Sakharov Prize
Imprisoned journalists Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia
Andrzej Poczobut is a journalist, essayist and blogger from the Polish minority in Belarus, known for his criticism of Alexander Lukashenko’s regime and has become a symbolic figure in the struggle for freedom and democracy in the country.
Poczobut has been repeatedly arrested by the authorities. Detained in 2021, he was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony. He has at times been held in solitary confinement without adequate medical treatment. His current condition is unknown and his family is denied any visits. Parliament has called for his immediate and unconditional release. On 13 December, Belarus released 123 political prisoners, but Poczobut was not among them.
Mzia Amaglobeli is a Georgian journalist and director of online media outlets. She was detained in 2025 for participating in an anti-government protest and imprisoned for two years on politically motivated charges.
The first female journalist to become a political prisoner in Georgia since its independence and a fighter for freedom of expression, she has become the symbol of Georgia's pro-democracy protest movement that opposes the Georgian Dream regime after the October 2024 elections.
Poczobut and Amaglobeli were jointly nominated by the European People’s Party group, the European Conservatives and Reformists group, and by Rasa Juknevičienė (EPP, Lithuania) and 60 other MEPs.
The decision to award Poczobut and Amaglobeli was taken by Parliament’s political group leaders and President Roberta Metsola, and announced by Metsola in the plenary chamber on 22 October.
The other finalists
Journalists and humanitarian aid workers in Palestine and all conflict zones
The Socialists and Democrats group and the Left group nominated journalists and humanitarian aid workers in Palestine and all conflict zones represented by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the Red Crescent, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Gaza is identified as the world's deadliest region for journalism, with a high number of Palestinian journalists killed. Humanitarian workers also endured significant losses during the conflict, with deadly attacks affecting organisations such as World Central Kitchen, the PRCS and UNRWA. These individuals, through their work and sacrifices, ensured international awareness of the critical human rights situation in Gaza.
Serbian students
Serbian students initiated nationwide protests after the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, Serbia, on 1 November 2024. This tragedy, which killed 16 people, was linked to alleged systemic corruption and infrastructural neglect. It triggered silent nationwide protests demanding accountability.
The movement has transcended ideological and political divisions and now includes academic staff and students, farmers, artists, journalists, taxi drivers, engineers, and others. It culminated on 15 March 2025, when over 350,000 people gathered in Belgrade for the largest demonstration in Serbia’s post-Yugoslav history.
The nomination was made by the Renew Europe group.
The other nominees
Boualem Sansal
Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal was nominated by the Patriots for Europe group. A former senior official in Algeria’s Ministry of Industry, he began writing novels after retiring. He has received several literary awards and is known for his criticism of Islamism and the Algerian government.
In November 2024, Sansal was arrested in Algeria for “undermining national unity” following an interview with French media. In March 2025, he was sentenced to five years in prison, despite health concerns and without his French lawyer present. The European Parliament and French National Assembly have both called for his immediate release. He was pardoned in November 2025 and allowed to leave the country.
Budapest Pride
Budapest Pride was nominated by the Greens/European Free Alliance group as well as by Marc Angel (S&D, Luxembourg), Kim van Sparrentak (Greens/EFA, Netherlands) and 43 other MEPs. Taking place despite a government-announced ban, 2025 Budapest Pride drew the largest attendance in the event’s history and became the seventh-largest Pride march in Europe.
Despite the risks of potential police intervention, fines, and imprisonment, the march emphasised freedom of assembly and expression. By combining grassroots LGBTQ activism with support from established NGOs amid increasing government restrictions, the event has played a role in advocating for democratic values and civil liberties in Hungary.
Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk, nominated by the Europe of Sovereign Nations group, was an American civic activist and public speaker, co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), founded in 2012 to engage students and young voters. Under his leadership, TPUSA played a significant role in youth political participation and debates on free speech on university campuses.
On 10 September 2025, Charlie Kirk was shot dead during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. The assassination has been widely condemned and highlights concerns over threats to freedom of expression.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
Each year Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to honour exceptional individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms, safeguarding the rights of minorities, and fighting for respect of international law, democracy and rule of law.
The laureates of the 2024 Sakharov Prize were Venezuelan opposition leaders, including María Corina Machado who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025.
Nominations are made by political groups or by at least 40 MEPs.
Since 1988, the annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has recognised individuals and organisations that defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. Named after Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, the prize includes an award of €50,000.
