By Hammad Kahlun
International News Correspondent
SNN News Finland
Polish-Belarusian journalist and political prisoner Andrzej Poczobut has been honored with the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, recognizing his courage and commitment to press freedom under the Lukashenko regime in Belarus.
Poczobut, a well-known advocate for the Polish minority in Belarus, has been one of the most outspoken critics of President Alexander Lukashenko. In 2021, he was sentenced to eight years in a high-security prison, and reports suggest that his health condition remains unknown while his family has been denied visitation rights.
The Sakharov Prize was also awarded to Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder of Netgazeti and Batumelebi. Amaglobeli was detained in Tbilisi in January 2025 after allegedly slapping a police officer who had insulted her during a protest. She was later sentenced to two years in prison and has since been recognized internationally as a political prisoner.
The joint recognition of Poczobut and Amaglobeli highlights the ongoing struggle for media freedom and human rights in Eastern Europe, where journalists continue to face imprisonment and harassment for speaking the truth.
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