Journalists Mzia Amaghlobeli and Ulvi Hasanli nominated for the Václav Havel Prize while behind bars
The Caucasus region is experiencing a change, with the future of journalism under threat as independent voices are being suppressed. This is evident in the recent events unfolding in Azerbaijan and Georgia, where three journalists have been shortlisted as finalists for the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize.
The Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize shortlist includes Mzia Amaghlobeli from Georgia, Ulvi Hasanli from Azerbaijan, and Maksym Butkevych from Ukraine.
Mzia Amaghlobeli, a Georgian journalist, is renowned for founding prominent independent news outlets Netgazeti and Batumelebi. However, her journalistic career has been marred by controversy. She was initially charged with 'assaulting a police officer', but the charge was later downgraded to 'resisting, threatening, or using violence against a protector of public order'. Amaghlobeli was sentenced to two years in prison in early August for slapping Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze during a heated argument. Her second detention was also for this same incident, which occurred on 11 January.
Ulvi Hasanli, a journalist from Azerbaijan, has faced relentless government persecution since 2011. He and five members of his team, along with one RFE/RL journalist, were sentenced to nine years in prison in late June. The charges against Hasanli included smuggling foreign currency as a group and money laundering. Hasanli has endured hunger strikes and solitary confinement while in a remote prison. The sentencing of Hasanli and his team took place in addition to a renewed crackdown on media in Azerbaijan, which was signalled by the raid on the offices of Abzas Media in Baku.
The authorities in Azerbaijan have been moving to imprison or expel almost all independent journalists left in the country. This crackdown on media freedom is a significant concern for the international community, as it threatens the region's democratic development and the right to free speech.
The winner of the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize will be announced at the opening of PACE's Autumn plenary session in Strasbourg on 29 September. The selection panel wrote that Mzia Amaghlobeli's actions have helped draw attention to media repression and political abuse in Georgia. The prize, which is awarded annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, aims to honour outstanding civil society figures committed to the promotion and protection of human rights.
As the newsroom continues to face challenges, a new initiative is aiming to build a newsroom powered by readers. This innovative approach could help ensure the survival of independent journalism in the region and provide a platform for the voices that need to be heard the most.
