At a time of rising authoritarianism and populism around the world, crackdowns on protest rights and a stark increase in transnational repression against those forced into exile, Index on Censorship’s Freedom of Expression Awards 2025 honour the individuals and groups who, while often overlooked by the international community, are examples of what the fightback looks like. 

In a ceremony in London, hosts include Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, comedian Rosie Holt, campaigner Bianca Jagger, and playwright David Hare, all there to celebrate four winners for their outstanding and courageous commitment to defending freedom of expression – often an immense personal risk.  

The 2025 Freedom of Expression Awards winners are:

Arts:

• Mohamed Tadjadit (Algeria) – an activist and poet, currently imprisoned for his work. Nicknamed the Poet of Hirak, Mohamed has been imprisoned six times since 2019 for his poetry and activism, until he was rearrested in January 2025 and sentenced to one year in prison on trumped up terrorism-related charges. This sentence was extended mid-November by another five years, with another hearing scheduled for 30 November.

Campaigning:

• The Saturday Mothers (Turkey) – the longest peaceful protest movement in Turkish history calls for justice for those forcibly disappeared. Having faced judicial harassment, smear campaigns and police violence for the last three decades, in March 2025, 45 people stood trial for participating in the 2018 vigil, which was subject to a ban by the authorities, and were finally acquitted.

Journalism:

• Carlos Correa (Venezuela) – a veteran journalist working to protect the broader civic space and challenge the state’s human rights abuses at a time of a severe clampdown on media freedom in Venezuela. This came at a huge risk to himself, after he was abducted and disappeared in January 2025 by state security forces. He was held for over a week, without access to his lawyer or family before being released.  

Trustee award:

• Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (Belarus) – Belarus opposition leader who campaigns for democracy and freedom of all political prisoners in Belarus, currently based in exile for her own security. Ahead of the stolen 2020 presidential election, Mrs Tsikhanouskaya stepped in as a presidential candidate after her husband was arrested and imprisoned. She has tirelessly campaigned for the return of Belarusian democracy and advocated for the hundreds of political prisoners held in Lukashenka’s prisons.  

Jemimah Steinfeld, CEO of Index on Censorship, said:

“It was a particularly hard year to judge as the threats to free expression continue to grow, which also means the individuals and organisations willing to confront autocracy are growing too. In these winners we are reminded of extreme courage at a time when all around us darkness seems to be descending. May their stories act as examples for all of us, including those of us in the UK who have fortunately been able to take basic rights largely for granted, but who are now seeing that nothing, not even freedom of expression, is guaranteed. 

We also hope the awards shine light on all too often overlooked areas of the world, including nearby Belarus, and in so doing support both the individuals and their broader causes.”

The winners are announced on 19 November at a ceremony in London. The jury panel for the 2025 awards included Baroness Hollick OBE; Can Dündar, award-winning journalist; Sir Trevor Phillips OBE, chair of Index on Censorship; Ben Preston, Culture, Arts and Books Editor of The Times & Sunday Times; and Jemimah Steinfeld, CEO of Index on Censorship.

The 2025 Freedom of Expression Awards are sponsored by Rosenblatt Law (headline sponsor), Edwardian Hotels (event sponsor), News UK (Journalism), and the Hollick Family Foundation (Campaigning). 

ENDS

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Index on Censorship is a non-profit organisation that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide, including by publishing work by censored writers and artists and monitoring threats to free speech. We lead global advocacy campaigns to protect artistic, academic, media and digital freedom to strengthen the participatory foundations of modern democratic societies. www.indexoncensorship.org