Imprisoned journalists Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia are the 2025 winners of the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was set up in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2025

Georgia has recently experienced massive protests following the government’s decision to pause the country’s EU accession process following the disputed parliamentary elections in October 2024.&nbsp; The President of Georgia Ms Zourabichvili, who has served&nbsp;since 2018, declared that the election in which the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory was fraudulent and effectively stolen. In a resolution adopted on 28 November 2024, MEPs rejected the outcome of the parliamentary elections in Georgia and called for them to be re-run within a year.

EU - Georgia

The European Union and Georgia enjoy a very close and positive relationship.

The EU-Georgia Association Agreement entered into force in July 2016 and strives for political association and economic integration between the EU and Georgia. The EU and Georgia have also entered into a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), while Georgian citizens have benefitted from visa free travel to the Schengen area since 28 March 2017.

Georgia is an important partner for the European Union both within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and its eastern dimension under the Eastern Partnership (EaP).

EU - Georgia (2019-2020)

Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 10 - 13 February plenary session in which MEPs will debate the EU’s continued support for Ukraine after three years of Russia’s war of aggression, providing support to EU regions that border Russia, as well as the continued repression of the democratic opposition in Russia one year after the murder of Alexei Navalny. Plenary will also vote on a resolution on the further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia, debate the Commission work programme for 2025, the recent proposals to boost the EU’s competitiveness, the consequences of the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and from the World Health Organisation, as well as the threats that strategic reliance on third countries in communication infrastructure pose to EU sovereignty.

Pre-session briefing

MEPs debate with EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas and take stock of the street protests rocking Georgia following the recent disputed elections.

Debate ongoing protests in Georgia

MEPs discuss the declining state of democracy in Georgia with EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell, ahead of a vote on a related resolution scheduled for Thursday. As the country prepares for parliamentary elections on 26 October, concerns have arisen over the ruling Georgian Dream party's increasingly authoritarian policies, particularly regarding media freedom and LGBTQ+ rights. Despite being granted EU candidate status in December 2023, the party has faced criticism for its crackdown on pro-democracy protests and for advancing a law labeling Western-funded media and NGOs as "foreign agents." If Georgian Dream secures a significant majority in the upcoming elections, there are fears that the multi-party system and political pluralism in Georgia could be further jeopardized.

Threats to political pluralism in Georgia

EP President Metsola meets the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze

EP Plenary Session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law

EP Plenary session - The deepening democratic crisis in Georgia

Press conference on the 2023/2024 reports on Georgia.

EP Plenary session - 2023 and 2024 reports on Georgia

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150)

AFET press conference with Georgia's civil society activists leading mass pro-democracy protests across the country, on the occasion of AFET adoption of its annual Georgia report

EP Plenary session - Further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia

MEPs who lead the parliamentary work on Georgia, meet with Salome ZOURABICHVILI, President of Georgia

EP Plenary session - Formal sitting with Salome ZOURABICHVILI, President of Georgia

MEPs votes on 1) Human trafficking and grave human rights violations linked to the recruitment of non-Russian nationals, in particular from Africa, for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine 2) The arbitrary detention of President Mohamed Bazoum by the junta in Niger 3) Case of Elene Khoshtaria and Political Prisoners under the Georgian Dream regime 4) (C10-0351/2025) - Calculation of emission credits for heavy-duty vehicles for the reporting periods of the years 2025 to 2029 5) Agius Saliba (A10-0140/2025) - Package travel and linked travel arrangements: make the protection of travellers more effective and simplify and clarify certain aspects 7) Rzońca (A10-0015/2026) - Activities of the European Ombudsperson – annual report 2024 /Multilateral negotiations in view of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, 26 to 29 March 2026. Texts on which debate is closed

Voting Session

Handover of the diplomas to the laureates representatives and family photo. Named after Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the EU’s highest human rights award. It has been awarded by Parliament to individuals or organisations every year since 1988, in recognition of their work in one of the following areas: the defence of human rights and fundamental rights, in particular freedom of expression, the safeguarding of minority rights, respect for international law, the development of democracy and the defence of the rule of law.

Award of the 2025 Sakharov Prize: handover of the diplomas to the laureates representatives and family photo

Irma DIMITRADZE, representative of the imprisoned journalist Mzia AMAGLOBELI from Georgia, delivers a speech in the hemicycle. Named after Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the EU’s highest human rights award. It has been awarded by Parliament to individuals or organisations every year since 1988, in recognition of their work in one of the following areas: the defence of human rights and fundamental rights, in particular freedom of expression, the safeguarding of minority rights, respect for international law, the development of democracy and the defence of the rule of law. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Award of the 2025 Sakharov Prize: speech by Irma DIMITRADZE, representative of the imprisoned journalist Mzia AMAGLOBELI from Georgia

This infoclip shows images of Tbilisi (capital city of Georgia). In particular we provide footage of the city centre of the Georgian capital, including views of prominent public buildings such as the Georgian Parliament, the Presidential Palace and the House of Justice.

Infoclip: General views of Tbilisi (Georgia)

Rasa JUKNEVIČIENĖ (EPP, LT), rapporteur, holds a press conference on the 2023/2024 reports on Georgia. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press Conference by Rasa JUKNEVIČIENĖ (EPP, LT), rapporteur on the 2023/2024 reports on Georgia

Rasa JUKNEVIČIENĖ (EPP, LT), rapporteur with Georgia's civil society activists leading mass pro-democracy protests across the country, hold a press conference on the occasion of AFET adoption of its annual Georgia report.

Press conference by Rasa JUKNEVIČIENĖ (EPP, LT), rapporteur with Georgia's civil society activists leading mass pro-democracy protests across the country, on the occasion of AFET adoption of its annual Georgia report

Salome ZOURABICHVILI, President of Georgia addresses the European Parliament.

Formal sitting with Salome ZOURABICHVILI, President of Georgia: Address by Salome ZOURABICHVILI, President of Georgia

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, opens the formal sitting.

EU - Georgia (T)

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