Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli awarded 2025 Sakharov Prize

Imprisoned journalists Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia are the laureates of the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

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.

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.

The award ceremony will take place in Strasbourg on 16 December.

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.

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 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 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 sentence was later upheld on appeal. The European Parliament and French National Assembly have both called for his immediate release.

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.

Background

Each year Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize 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. This year’s nominations were presented during a joint meeting of the foreign affairs and development committees, and the human rights subcommittee on 23 September 2025.

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.