“A year ago, on this very day, I was in Russian captivity in a prison colony”. Maksym Butkevych became the first Ukrainian to receive the Vaclav Havel Prize

Journalist, human rights defender, former Russian captive, and member of the Expert Council of the Center for Civil Liberties, Maksym Butkevych, has been awarded the Václav Havel Prize. The award is presented annually for outstanding contributions to the protection of human rights, with this year’s ceremony held on 29 September during the opening of the autumn plenary session of PACE in Strasbourg.

Maksym Butkevych spent over two years in Russian captivity after a court of the occupying authorities sentenced him to 13 years in prison on fabricated charges. He had voluntarily joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the start of the invasion and remained steadfast despite intense pressure from Russian forces. The activist was returned to Ukraine on 18 October 2024 through a prisoner exchange. He was honored for his resilience in defending human rights, justice, and freedom.

Alongside the Ukrainian human rights defender, this year’s finalists for the prize included Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli and Ulvi Hasanli, director of Abzas Media from Azerbaijan.

During his speech, he emphasized the need to remember and fight for all those who are currently in captivity or have been deported:

« A year ago, on this very day, I was in Russian captivity in a colony located in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. At that time, being in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, receiving this award, and addressing you was a dream. In this year’s shortlist, I stood alongside two incredibly brave colleagues, Mzia Amaglobeli and Ulvi Hasanli, who defended freedom of speech and were repressed by authoritarian regimes. I sincerely hope that they will be released as soon as possible. The fact that I am standing here is also a promise that all those currently in Russian captivity, as well as those imprisoned by authoritarian regimes, will one day be free »

The Václav Havel Prize includes a cash award of €60,000, a trophy, and a diploma. Since 2013, it has been awarded for outstanding achievements in the field of human rights in Europe and worldwide. The award was established by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation. It is dedicated to the memory of Václav Havel, the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic.