Index on Censorship awards Cichanoŭskaja for resisting authoritarianism

November 20, Pozirk. Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja was selected as a winner of Index on Censorship 2025 Freedom of Expression Awards, the group reported on its website.
The award ceremony took place yesterday in London. The Belarusian politician received the Trustee award for campaigning for the return of Belarusian democracy and advocating for jailed Belarusian dissidents.
Algerian jailed activist Mohamed Tadjadit, Turkey’s Saturday Mothers peaceful protest movement and Venezuela’s veteran journalist Carlos Correa received awards in other categories.
This year’s winners remind everyone of “extreme courage at a time when all around us darkness seems to be descending,” said Jemimah Steinfeld, CEO of Index on Censorship. “May their stories act as examples for all of us, including those of us in the United Kingdom 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.”
The 2025 awards honor the individuals and groups who, while often overlooked by the international community, demonstrate to the world how to resist rising authoritarianism and populism, the group said.
The London-based Index on Censorship is an NGO campaigning for freedom of expression.
Cichanoŭskaja advocates for exiled Belarusians in Kraków
- EconomyBelarus’ employment rate declines 1.3 percent in Q1The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyFIBA authorizes Belarus U21 team to compete in Youth Nations LeagueThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsEU sanctions Belarusian Oil Company, Belarus-China defense companyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLithuanian man arrested after picking up Belarusian cigarettes at border fenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLatvia accounts for 70 percent of all irregular Belarus-EU crossings since JanuaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEuropean General Court rules some sanctions on businessman Šaŭcoŭ unlawfulThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyViciebsk police to hold command staff exercise on FridayThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsZelensky warns against deeper Belarus involvement in Russia’s war on UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsSix groups running for opposition Coordination Council branded “extremist”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- EconomyRubel keeps rising against US dollar, euro, yuanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- PoliticsSeimas extends national sanctions against Russia, BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyBelarus’ opposition seeks cooperation agreement with Lithuania’s SeimasThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus to draft about 10,000 in the army this springThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus puts six more exiled activists on trial in their absenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- SocietyInterior minister: law enforcers monitoring all sectors for corruptionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyŁatuška raises pension access problems for Belarusian exiles at CoE levelThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyMinsk and Smalavičy rank in top five Belarusian cities – studyThe material is available only to POZIRK+


