Thirty people were detained after protesting on Wednesday in Tbilisi in honour of jailed Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, a founder of independent media outlets in the country.

Amaghlobeli, along with another journalist from Belarus won the European Union’s top human rights honor, the Sakharov Prize.

"This is the violence of Georgian Dream against the Georgian citizens and ultimately they (the government) are the losers," said Leva Tsutskiridze, from political movement Freedom Square.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the winners on Wednesday.

Andrzej Poczobut, a correspondent for a Polish newspaper, is serving an eight-year sentence in Belarus for allegedly harming national security.

Mzia Amaghlobeli was sentenced to two years in August for slapping a police chief during a protest.

Metsola said both journalists are imprisoned on trumped-up charges for their work and courage in speaking out against injustice.

AP Video by Sophiko Megrelidze