According to the Nobel Committee, freedom of speech is a prerequisite for democracy and long-term peace, and the journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitri A. Muratov were given the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their efforts to protect that right.
According to the committee, the two were honored for “their brave battle for freedom of speech in the Philippines and Russia,” adding that their efforts were part of a larger campaign to preserve journalistic freedoms throughout the world.
According to the committee, “They are representations of all journalists who stand up for this principle in a world when democracy and freedom of the press are facing more difficult circumstances.”
She has fought to uncover “abuse of authority, use of violence, and increasing authoritarianism” in her own nation of the Philippines, as well as in other countries.
She is a co-founder of Rappler, a digital media business specializing in investigative journalism, which she now serves as the company’s CEO.
Reporters for the organization have exposed government corruption and investigated the financial holdings and potential conflicts of interest of top political figures, and they have worked tirelessly to bring President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial and violent anti-drug campaign to the public’s attention.
Mr. Muratov has fought for freedom of expression in Russia for decades, despite the fact that his job has become more challenging.
Novaya Gazeta was founded in 1993 by him and his colleagues, and he has served as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief since 1995. He was one of the newspaper’s founding members.
NOVAYA GAZETA (“Newspaper of Russia”), as per the committee, “is the most independent newspaper in Russia today, with a fundamentally critical stance toward authority.” “Through fact-based journalism and professional ethics, the newspaper has established itself as a valuable source of information about inconvenient elements of Russian society that are seldom discussed in other media.”
It was a difficult decision for the Nobel committee, which had to choose among 329 applicants, one of the biggest pools in the prize’s 126-year history. Climate change campaigners, political dissidents, and scientists whose work has contributed to the battle against the Covid-19 epidemic were among individuals who had been considered favorites for this year’s award.
