Ukrainian human rights activist Maksym Butkevych wins Václav Havel Prize

Ukrainian human rights activist, journalist, and serviceman Maksym Butkevych has been awarded the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Details

The award ceremony took place on September 29 in the hall of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. As noted by Yevheniya Kravchuk, Deputy Head of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy and a member of the Permanent Delegation to PACE, this is the first time in history that a citizen of Ukraine has received this award.

This award is the world's recognition of the superhuman courage of one person and, at the same time, the resilience of an entire nation fighting for its right to exist.

At the same time, Maksym Butkevych himself said: "Where there is no opportunity to create meaning, we gradually cease to be human."

Reference

Maksym Butkevych joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Defense Forces after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. In the summer of 2022, he was captured and remained in captivity until October 18, 2024 - when he was released.

Recall

On Ukraine's Independence Day, August 24, 2025, UNIAN agency journalist Dmytro Khyliuk, who had been held by the occupiers as a civilian hostage since March 2022, returned from Russian captivity.