The European Union’s top human rights prize has been awarded to two imprisoned journalists who were honored for their defiance of the authorities in Belarus and Georgia.

A Belarusian journalist was convicted of treason and revealing state secrets and was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a closed trial.

Dozens of journalists in Belarus have been imprisoned in recent years under a crackdown by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.

An independent journalist in Belarus has been arrested on treason charges, the latest move in a relentless crackdown on news media by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko’s government.

Authorities in Belarus have raided the homes and offices of journalists and human rights activists. (AP Photo)KYIV – Authorities in Belarus raided homes and offices of journalists and human rights activists Tuesday in the latest move to squelch protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Europe's top human rights envoy denounced the searches and detentions in Belarus as unacceptable. “This is an attempt to intimidate journalists and human rights activists who have been telling the world about the unbelievable scale of repressions,” said Viasna's deputy head Valiantsin Stefanovic. Tsikhanouskaya denounced the raids and detentions of journalists and rights activists, saying “the regime is unleashing repressions against those who are championing human rights.”The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demanded that Belarusian authorities stop the persecution of journalists.