Today the European Parliament announced the winners of the Sakharov Prize: two brave, brilliant journalists in jail for their work- my client, Mzia Amaglobeli (Georgia) & Andrzej Poczobut (Belarus).

Congratulations to Mzia & Andrzej.

Now to #FreeMzia #FreeAndrzej

🇬🇪 🇧🇾 @netgazeti.org

My response:

Today we are in the European Parliament to discuss the urgent case of my client, #MziaAmaglobeli, & the crackdown on media & the pro-democracy movement in #Georgia.

Thank you to all the MEPs who are supporting Mzia, her colleagues, the Georgian people, & who are calling for action now to #FreeMzia.

Here are all the remarkable honorees: (from L to R) Marty Baron, @josecarloszamora.bsky.social, Melinda French Gates, Darren Walker and Fatou Balde, with Amal and George Clooney.

Read about their vitally important work here:
cfj.org/the-albies/#...
3/

The award for journalist #JoseRubenZamora was, fittingly, given by Meryl Streep, a true champion of journalists' rights. It was a privilege to speak with her about the issues and the case.

This spotlight is vital - the world needs to know what is happening in #Guatemala.

#JournalismIsNotACrime
2/

At the Clooney Foundation for Justice #Albies awards one of the winners, my client, #JoseRubenZamora, could not be there as he is unjustly imprisoned in Guatemala. His son @josecarloszamora.bsky.social brought an empty chair on stage for his dad, & he spoke so powerfully.
#FreeZamora
#ZamoraLibre
1/

Appalling - but unsurprising - news from Georgia today.

#MziaAmaglobeli sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment.

Mzia is a tenacious journalist & a visionary publisher. I am proud to act as international counsel. I & my Georgian & international colleagues will now be taking urgent steps to #FreeMzia.

And some LALY heroes, it seems, *do* indeed wear capes.

Brava, Beverley Watkins of Watkins Solicitors, winner of the Family Law award. A legend. And surely the best outfit of the night…

#LALY25 @lalyawards.bskyb.social

So inspiring to be at tonight’s #LALYAwards. A privilege to be a #LALY25 judge.

All finalists are brilliant (many agonising hours of trawling through heartbreaking, inspiring detail tell me that).

Not all heroes wear capes.

But tonight, #LALY heroes drink prosecco, relax & are celebrated.

A privilege to meet Shabnam Khan Dawran today: the newsreader who was taken off air by the Taliban.

She now works in London for Afghanistan International, & she gave a powerful personal account of the challenges working as a journalist in exile.

#SirHarrySummit #Afghanistan

Following my usual pattern of swelling with national pride whenever an Irish person does anything of note, as if I can take some vicarious credit…

Today, a Dubliner (Cardinal Kevin Farrell) is interim chief of the Catholic Church, & both University Challenge captains are from Dublin, too.

“I am delighted to be spending my last panel #ijf25 with two of my favourite criminals,” says @jodieginsberg.bsky.social @pressfreedom.bsky.social.

Wonderful to have @alsuk.bsky.social & @omarradi.bsky.social free & here 👏 to discuss wrongful imprisonment of journalists.

#JournalismIsNotACrime

Such a privilege to share a platform with Karen Kaiser, SVP & General Counsel @apnews.com, yesterday @journalismfestival.com.

Much to discuss. And so much to do.

#ijf25

At #ijf25 with two men I greatly admire.

✨Matthew Caruana Galizia, whose mother was assassinated for her journalism in #Malta. His work @daphne-foundation.bsky.social is remarkable & inspiring.

✨Jose Zamora, whose father #JoseRubénZamora is imprisoned for his journalism in #Guatemala. #FreeZamora

Great to share a stage with human rights titan Ken Roth, Rana Sabbagh & @cglancey.bsky.social today @journalismfestival.com.

#ijf25

Here’s my response to this latest development, on behalf of the international counsel team.

The UN Working Group’s Opinion confirms the unlawfulness of Mr Salehi’s treatment: it finds serious violations of international law by #Iran.

3/

Rest in power, Pat Ingoldsby.

25th August 1942 - 1st March 2025.

This is not me saying “don’t engage with China”, the straw man in Reeves’ piece.

It’s saying “don’t engage like this.”

Or “do better - as you promised you would.”

The UK must do all it can to #FreeJimmyLai - before it’s too late.

A brave man who should have been top of the agenda in Beijing.

8/

#JoseRubénZamora v. #Guatemala 🇬🇹

Six UN experts raise grave concerns about Mr Zamora’s inhumane detention conditions & risk to his life.

Our response, with Mr Zamora’s son, José Carlos Zamora:
www.doughtystreet.co.uk/news/jose-ru...

Guatemala must #FreeZamora #ZamoraLibre.

#JournalismIsNotACrime