The Ukrainian journalist and human rights activist, Maksym Butkevych, received the prestigious Vaclav Havel Human Rights prize by the Council of Europe.
“I dare to say that I participate in this ceremony, and I receive this honorable prize not only in my personal quality, but in the name of prisoners of war and Ukrainian civilians illegally detected by Russia,” said Butkevych during the award ceremony in the French city of Strasbourg.
Butkevych is co-founder of Zmina Human Rights Center and Hromadske radio.
At the start of the invasion of Russia on a large scale of Ukraine, he volunteered for the service in the Ukrainian army despite his pacifist beliefs. He was taken as a prisoner of war by Russia and remained in captivity for more than two years before being released about a year ago as part of an exchange of prisoners.
Three media professionals in the final selection
Since 2013, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has awarded the price for commitment to human rights.
In addition to Butkevych, the preselected nominees for this year included the Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, who co -founded the independent media Battumeblebi and Netgazeti, and Ulvi Hasanli d’Azerbaijan, who has been director of the independent media company Abzas Media since 2016.
Neither Amaghlobeli nor Hasanli could be present in person as they are in detention.
It is not a coincidence that the three candidates are media professionals, said the president of the parliamentary assembly Theodoros Rousopoulos. Last years have been particularly dangerous for journalists, he said.
“Without the right to freedom of expression and free, independent and pluralist media, there is no real democracy,” said Rousopoulos.
The price has € 60,000 ($ 70,320) and is appointed after militant fire to civil rights and former Czech president.
The European Council based in Strasbourg oversees human rights in its 46 member countries and is not a organ of the European Union. Russia was excluded from the organization in 2022 after 26 years of membership due to the war of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian journalist and human rights activist Maxym Butkevych (R) poses with the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Theodoros Roussopolos, after having received the Vaclav Havel Prize for Human Rights at the meeting of the European Council. Sébastien Bozon / AFP / DPA
