Ukrainian human rights activist Maksym Butkevych, who was held in Russian captivity for two and a half years, has been shortlisted for the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize.
This was reported by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
The selection committee of the award, which recognizes outstanding civil society actions to protect human rights in Europe and beyond, reported on August 26 the list of three nominees for the 2025 award.
Maksym Butkevych is a Ukrainian journalist, human rights activist, and co-founder of the Human Rights Center "Zmina" and “Hromadske Radio”.
Getty Images / «Babel'»
Despite his pacifism, he volunteered to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 and became a platoon commander. He was captured by the enemy in June 2022 and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Butkevych spent almost two and a half years in strict confinement before being released in a prisoner exchange in October 2024.
The selection committee notes that he "remains a powerful symbol of courage and resilience in the defense of justice and freedom".
Mzia Amaglobeli is a Georgian journalist and co-founder of the independent media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti. In August 2025, she was sentenced to two years in prison for slapping a police officer during protests.
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
The commission notes that her courageous actions helped draw attention to media repression and political abuses. Her arrest and sentence “made her a symbol of press freedom and resilience in the face of government repression, underscoring the crucial role of journalists in protecting human rights”.
Ulvi Hasanli is an Azerbaijani journalist and director of the independent Abzas Media since 2016.
The Commission notes that since 2011, Hasanli has been subjected to relentless persecution by the government, including arbitrary detention, torture and politically motivated charges. In June 2025, he was sentenced to nine years in prison and is currently being held in harsh conditions in a remote prison, where he has endured hunger strikes and solitary confinement, while remaining steadfast and committed to press freedom.
- The name of the laureate will be announced at the opening of the autumn plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on September 29. Since 2013, the prize has been awarded annually by PACE in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation. It consists of €60 000, a trophy and a diploma.
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