The names of the three candidates shortlisted for the 2025 Václav Havel Prize for human rights, the honour given by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that celebrates leading civil society actions in defence of human rights in Europe and beyond, have just been announced. The panel, that met in Prague earlier today, selected three journalists. The first one is the Georgia-born Mzia Amaghlobeli, co-founder of the independent media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, a political prisoner for denouncing abuse and media repression. The second one is Ukrainian journalist Maksym Butkevych, a human rights defender and cofounder of the Human Rights Centre Zmina and Hromadske Radio. A volunteer in the Ukrainian armed forces, he was arrested, sentenced and, after two years’ harsh imprisonment, released. He “remains a powerful symbol of courage and resilience in defence of justice and freedom”, the panel explained. The third name is that of Azerbaijani Ulvi Hasanli, director of the independent media outlet Abzas Media since 2016. He is detained too, sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment, on politically-motivated charges. From his prison, he “continues to embody resilience and commitment to press freedom”. “Today, more than ever, it is of paramount importance to celebrate the women and men who, by their courage, determination and strength, show us the path to freedom”, Theodoros Rousopoulos, president of PACE, stated when he announced the winners’ names. “Journalists, in particular, through their courage, determination, and unwavering commitment to truth, illuminate the path to freedom and justice”, despite this being “the most devastating period in memory, with record numbers killed, injured, and detained globally”. The winner of the 2025 Prize will be announced on opening the autumn plenary session of PACE in Strasbourg on September 29th.