Poczobut wins Sakharov Prize

October 22, Pozirk. Jailed journalists Andrzej Poczobut in Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli in Georgia have won the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced.
Poczobut was nominated by the European People’s Party Group and the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.
“He is a journalist, essayist and blogger from the Polish minority in Belarus, known for his criticism of Alaksandar Łukašenka’s regime and has become a symbolic figure in the struggle for freedom and democracy in the country,” MEPs said.
Poczobut was repeatedly arrested and given eight years in prison after being detained in 2021. He has often been held in solitary confinement without proper medical care with his current health situation unknown. MEPs demanded his immediate and unconditional release.
Every year, the European Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize to outstanding people and organizations who defend human rights and fight for democracy and the rule of law. This year’s nominees included journalists in Palestine, Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal and Budapest Pride.
Poczobut held in penal colony’s isolation wing amid health decline
- Politics, SportBelarusian, Russian figure skaters barred from World ChampionshipsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCrackdown on Belarusian publishers reported in MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Society, Sport
- Society
- Society
- PoliticsPolitically motivated convictions reported in Minsk, HrodnaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus says it downs drones as Kyiv accuses Minsk of aiding Russian attacksThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMinsk to negotiate visa free travel to Saudi Arabia for officialsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarus holds 496 Lithuanian trucks, 575 semi-trailers - LINAVAThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Security, SocietyThree men jailed in Lithuania for smuggling cigarettes from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsKGB adds eight to list of terroristsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyVacancies for foreigners rise by nearly 17 percent in Belarus over a monthThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyLithuania turns nine African migrants back to BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityConscription-age men given 24 hours to report for military trainingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsFaction Biełarusy quits Coordination CouncilThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition leader urges OSCE PA to establish working group on BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsEU Delegation welcomes Statkievič’s release, urges Minsk to free all jailed dissidentsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics



