Nobel Peace Prize 2021: 2 Journalists Win it for Safeguarding Freedom of Expression

Two journalists have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2021 for their efforts to protect freedom of expression.

The Nobel Peace Prize 2021 winners are Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has chosen to give Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for their efforts to protect freedom of expression, which is a prerequisite for democracy and sustainable peace.

Maria Ressa uses her right to free speech to expose abuses of power, the use of violence, and the rise of authoritarianism in her native Philippines.

Dmitry Muratov has fought for the freedom of speech in Russia for decades, despite increasingly difficult circumstances.

For their brave fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia, Ressa and Muratov are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2021. At the same time, they are ambassadors for all journalists who fight for this ideal in a world where democracy and press freedom are increasingly threatened.

Maria Ressa uses her right to free speech to expose abuses of power, the use of violence, and the rise of authoritarianism in her native Philippines. She co-founded Rappler, a digital media firm focused on investigative journalism, in 2012, and she continues to lead it. 

BREAKING NEWS:
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.#NobelPrize #NobelPeacePrize pic.twitter.com/KHeGG9YOTT

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 8, 2021

Ressa has demonstrated herself to be a brave protector of freedom of expression as a journalist and CEO of Rappler, according to the Nobel Committee’s official press statement.

Rappler has criticized the Duterte administration’s controversial and homicidal anti-drug campaign. The campaign resembles a battle waged against the country’s own people due to the high number of deaths. Ressa and Rappler have also exposed how bogus news is distributed, opponents are harassed, and public dialogue is manipulated on social media.

Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov has fought for the freedom of speech in Russia for decades, despite increasingly difficult circumstances. He was a co-founder of the independent journal Novaja Gazeta in 1993. 

He has served as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief for a total of 24 years, beginning in 1995. Novaja Gazeta is currently Russia’s most independent newspaper, with a deeply critical attitude toward authorities.

Because of its fact-based journalism and professional ethics, the newspaper has become a valuable source of information about controversial parts of Russian society that are rarely covered by other media. Novaja Gazeta has published critical articles on a variety of topics since its inception in 1993, including corruption, police violence, unlawful arrests, electoral fraud, and “troll factories,” as well as the use of Russian military forces both inside and outside Russia, according to the Nobel Committee press release.

Opponents of Novaja Gazeta have retaliated with harassment, threats, assault, and death. Six of the newspaper’s journalists have been killed since its inception, including Anna Politkovskaya, who authored revealing stories on the Chechen war. Despite the assassinations and threats, editor-in-chief Muratov has stood firm in his commitment to the newspaper’s independence. He has constantly defended journalists’ ability to write anything they want about whatever they want, as long as they follow the profession’s professional and ethical norms.

“Free, independent, and fact-based journalism help to safeguard against power abuse, lies, and war propaganda. The Norwegian Nobel Committee believes that freedom of expression and knowledge contribute to a well-informed public. These rights are essential for democracy and provide protection from war and conflict. The Nobel Peace Prize 2021 was awarded to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov to emphasize the importance of safeguarding and preserving these fundamental rights “According to the press announcement,

Nobel Peace Prize 2021 Winners
Photo Credit: Noblepeaceprize.org

Maria Ressa 

He was born in Manila, Philippines, on October 2, 1963.

“For their efforts to defend freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and sustainable peace,” the prize motivation reads.

1/2 of the prize share

Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov

Born in the Soviet Union’s Kuybyshev (now Samara) in 1961. (now Russia)

“For their efforts to defend freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and sustainable peace,” the prize motivation reads.

1/2 of the prize share

The Nobel Peace Prize 2020 was awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP) last year.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the World Food Programme (WFP) the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to improving peace conditions in conflict-affected areas, and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.

The Swedish Academy bestows the prize, which is worth 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.14 million).

The Nobel Prizes were established through a gift in the will of Swedish dynamite inventor and rich businessman Alfred Nobel for achievements in science, literature, and peace. They’ve been given out since 1901, with the last prize – economics – being added subsequently.

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