Imprisoned Journalists from Belarus and Georgia Awarded EU's Prestigious Sakharov Prize for Human Rights Defense

The European Union's prestigious Sakharov Prize for human rights has been awarded to two imprisoned journalists this year. The European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced on Wednesday that Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaghlobeli from Georgia are the recipients of this distinguished honor.

Andrzej Poczobut, a correspondent for the prominent Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, is currently serving an eight-year sentence in Belarus' Novopolotsk penal colony. He was convicted on charges of "harming Belarus' national security," widely considered to be politically motivated.

Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of two independent Georgian media outlets, was sentenced to two years imprisonment in August after allegedly slapping a police chief during anti-government protests. Human rights organizations have condemned her case as an attempt to suppress media freedom in Georgia.

"Both are journalists currently in prison on trumped up charges simply for doing their work and for speaking out against injustice. Their courage has made them symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy," stated Metsola during the announcement in Strasbourg, France.

The Sakharov Prize, established in 1988 and named after Soviet dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Andrei Sakharov, recognizes individuals or groups who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. The award is selected by senior EU lawmakers from candidates nominated by the European Parliament's various political groups and is considered "the highest tribute paid by the European Union to human rights work."

Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, herself a previous Sakharov Prize winner in 2020, addressed the lawmakers, emphasizing that this award sends a powerful message to political prisoners that "you are not alone and journalism is not a crime."

Poczobut, 52, faces particularly challenging conditions, suffering from a serious heart condition and having endured multiple periods in solitary confinement, sometimes for up to six months at a time, according to human rights activists.

His newspaper expressed hope that the award "will be a pebble that will trigger an avalanche of events. That it will lead to the imminent release of our Belarusian correspondent. Andrzej's fate has finally ceased to be a game between Lukashenko's special services and Poland. It is a matter for the whole of Europe."

Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for over three decades and is often referred to as "Europe's last dictator," has maintained power through elections widely considered neither free nor fair, accompanied by violent suppression of dissent.

Following widespread protests in 2020, more than 65,000 people were arrested in Belarus, thousands beaten, and hundreds of independent media outlets and non-governmental organizations were shut down. In August, Lukashenko pardoned 52 prisoners after a conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, sparking speculation about possible diplomatic shifts.

In Georgia, Amaghlobeli's case represents just one among many that have drawn international criticism as the ruling Georgian Dream party faces accusations of undermining civil society and democratic principles in the South Caucasus nation.

During her trial, Amaghlobeli encouraged the opposition to persist: "You must never lose faith in your own capabilities. There is still time. The fight continues- until victory!"

As founder and manager of investigative news outlet Batumelebi, which reports on politics, corruption, and human rights issues in Georgia, and its sister publication Netgazeti, Amaghlobeli has been a significant voice in independent journalism.

Georgia has experienced substantial political turmoil and protests since last year's parliamentary elections, in which Georgian Dream maintained control amid allegations of election manipulation with Russian involvement.

Many previous Sakharov Prize recipients, including Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Denis Mukwege, and Nadia Murad, later became Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was awarded the Sakharov Prize last year, received the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month.

The award, which includes a €50,000 ($58,000) endowment, will be formally presented at a ceremony in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this December.