Maxim Butkevich. Victoria Zhelezna / Suspilne Culture
As reported by Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Ukrainian human rights defender, journalist and public figure Maksym Butkevych has become a laureate of the Václav Havel Prize for 2025. This achievement has made him the first Ukrainian to be awarded this prestigious international prize, according to the prize organizers.
The Václav Havel Prize is awarded annually in partnership between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Václav Havel Library, and the Charter 77 Foundation. It includes a cash prize of 60,000 euros, as well as a trophy and a diploma.
Butkevych is known as a human rights defender, journalist and public figure who has worked for many years to defend human rights, in particular the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons. He is the co-founder of the ZMINA Human Rights Center and Hromadske Radio.
In March 2022 he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine and served in the special Berlingo Battalion. In June of the same year he was captured by Russian forces. In March 2023, in the occupied city of Luhansk, Butkevych was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment for allegedly mistreating civilians and using prohibited methods of warfare; the appellate court in Moscow left the verdict unchanged. In October 2024 he was released as part of a prisoner exchange – 95 people were returned.
Significance of the Award and Context of Previous Laureates
This distinction underscores the important contribution of Ukrainian human rights defenders to protecting fundamental freedoms even during the war. It also demonstrates international solidarity with people affected by the armed conflict in Ukraine.
From the history of the prize, it is known that among previous laureates there were activists from various countries: in 2022 – Russian activist Vladimir Kara-Murza; in 2023 – Turkish human rights defender Osman Kavala; also mentioned was Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski, who that year became associated with the Nobel Peace Prize. The Václav Havel Prize is the annual award of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the Charter 77 Foundation.
Details of the award and official announcements are usually published by the prize’s official bodies and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. It is also known that the prize draws the attention of the international community to human rights initiatives in Ukraine and beyond.
See also:
- Ukrainian human rights defender Maksym Butkevych is shortlisted for the 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize alongside Georgian and Azerbaijani journalists, highlighting their courageous fight for freedom and justice in Europe.
- King Charles III met Ukrainian human rights defender Oleksandra Matviychuk at Buckingham Palace, highlighting her Nobel Peace Prize-winning work with the Center for Civil Liberties.
- Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku suffers serious health issues in a Russian prison, facing inadequate medical care and harsh conditions.
