Irish lawyer welcomes Sakharov Prize for jailed journalist client

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC

Ms Amaglobeli, a Georgian journalist and director of online media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested in January 2025 for joining anti-government protests in Georgia.

In August, she was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on political grounds.

Georgia’s first woman political prisoner since the country’s independence and a defender of freedom of expression, Ms Amaglobeli has become a figurehead for Georgia’s pro-democracy protest movement, opposing the ruling Georgian Dream party since contested elections last October.

Andrzej Poczobut is a journalist, essayist, blogger and activist from the Polish minority in Belarus.

Known for his outspoken criticism of the Lukashenka regime and his writings on history and human rights, he has been arrested many times.

Detained since 2021, he was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony.

Poczobut’s health has since deteriorated and he has not received the medical care he needs. His current state of health is unknown and his family is not allowed to visit.

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said: “By awarding this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia, we honour two journalists whose courage shines as a beacon for all who refuse to be silenced.

“Both have paid a heavy price for speaking truth to power, becoming symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy. The Parliament stands with them, and with all those who continue to demand freedom.”

Ms Gallagher, a London-based barrister and human rights lawyer who acts as international counsel for Ms Amaglobeli, welcomed the European Parliament’s decision to honour “two brave, brilliant journalists”.

“But this prize should not be needed for Mzia and Andrzej, as both should never have been jailed in the first place,” she said.

“And both should be free — free to work. Free to report. Free to do what they do best. Journalism is not a crime.”