President Roberta Metsola awards the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobel from Georgia.

The two journalists are imprisoned in their respective countries and will be represented by others during the ceremony.

Andrzej Poczobut is a journalist, essayist, blogger and activist from the Polish minority in Belarus, known for his outspoken criticism of the Lukashenka regime. Detained in 2021, he was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony. His health has since deteriorated, but he is denied the medical care he needs and his family is not allowed to visit him.

Mzia Amaglobeli, a Georgian journalist and director of online media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested in January 2025 for joining anti-government protests. In August, she was sentenced to two years in prison, becoming Georgia’s first female political prisoner since its independence.

Find out more on this year’s laureates.

A press conference by President Metsola and representatives of the laureates will take place before the plenary ceremony at 11.30 CET on Tuesday 16 December, in Parliament's Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room.

Representatives of the 2025 Sakharov Prize laureates as well as the other shortlisted figures will also participate in a hybrid media seminar from 9:00 CET to 11:15 CET on Tuesday 16 December. For more information, please contact media-seminars@europarl.europa.eu

The Committees on Foreign Affairs and Development and the Subcommittee on Human Rights will hold a debate with Anna Kietlińska and Robert Tyszkiewicz (representing Andrzej Poczobut) and Irma Dimitradze and Hatia Jinjikhadzeon (representing Mzia Amaglobeli) on Monday 15 December from 19.00 to 20.30 CET.

The ceremony and press conference will be broadcast on Parliament’s multimedia website and on EbS+.

Background

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.

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2025 (T)

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2025

EP Plenary session - Award of the 2025 Sakharov Prize

Video about the laureates, journalists Mzia AMAGLOBELI from Georgia and Andrzej POCZOBUT from Belarus, is shown 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.

Award of the 2025 Sakharov Prize: video about the laureates, journalists Mzia AMAGLOBELI from Georgia and Andrzej POCZOBUT from Belarus

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

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

EP President Roberta METSOLA opens the ceremony and welcomes the representatives of the 2025 Sakharov Prize laureates. 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: opening of the ceremony and welcoming the representatives of the 2025 laureates by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Jana POCZOBUT, daughter of the imprisoned journalist Andrzej POCZOBUT from Belarus, 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 Jana POCZOBUT, daughter of the imprisoned journalist Andrzej POCZOBUT from Belarus

EP President Roberta METSOLA delivers a speech before the award of 2025 Sakharov Prize ceremony. 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 Roberta METSOLA, EP President

EP President Roberta METSOLA holds a press conference with the Sakharov Prize 2025 laureates representatives, Jana POCZOBUT, daughter of the imprisoned journalist Andrzej POCZOBUT from Belarus, and Irma DIMITRADZE, representative of the imprisoned journalist Mzia AMAGLOBELI from Georgia. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

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