Journalists, human rights groups and other activists enthusiastically welcomed the awarding of this year's Nobel Peace Prize to two reporters at a time when media around the world face new pressures and crackdowns from the authorities.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Friday's announcement awarding the peace prize to Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia marked a rare bright spot amid growing harassment of reporters in many parts of the world. Another threat is the rise of misinformation, even in established democracies, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
The Nobel Committee singled out Ressa and Rappler for exposing what it called Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "murderous anti-drug campaign," which has cost many thousands of lives. It also praised her for highlighting how political actors use social media to spread false information to manipulate public discussion.
The committee also cited Muratov for his decades of work defending freedom of speech in Russia "under increasingly challenging conditions." A founding member of the journalists collective that launched Novaya Gazeta in 1993, Muratov has overseen the newspaper's investigations and critical reporting on Kremlin politics, corruption, war and human rights.
"Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres eluded the decision, saying, "No society can be free and fair without journalists who are able to investigate wrongdoing, bring information to citizens, hold leaders accountable and speak truth to power. Yet anti-media rhetoric – and attacks against media workers – continue to rise.
"At the same time, while technology has transformed the ways in which we receive and share information, it is also used to mislead public opinion or to fuel violence and hatred. Falsehoods trump facts, and this cannot become the new normal. Free and independent journalism is our greatest ally in combating misinformation and disinformation."
Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists said, "Dmitry Muratov and Maria Ressa personify the values of press freedom and the reason it matters. These are journalists under personal threat, who continuously defy censorship and repression to report the news, and have led the way for others to do the same. This Nobel Peace Prize is a powerful recognition of their tireless work, and that of journalists all around the world. Their struggle is our struggle."
US President Joe Biden also welcomed the decision, saying in a statement: "Like so many journalists around the world, Ressa and Muratov have pursued the facts – tirelessly and fearlessly. They have worked to check the abuse of power, expose corruption, and demand transparency. They have been tenacious in founding independent media outlets and defending them against forces that seek their silence. And, for their commitment to the basic principles of the free press – principles that are indispensable to a healthy democracy – they have faced constant threats, harassment and intimidation, legal action, and even, in the case of Muratov, the death of his colleagues.
"Ressa, Muratov, and journalists like them all around the world are on the front lines of a global battle for the very idea of the truth, and I, along with people everywhere, am grateful for their groundbreaking work to 'hold the line,' as Ressa so often says."
The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines congratulated Ressa "on being the first Filipino to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Her win is a victory for press freedom advocates across the Philippines, which remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists."
Reporters routinely face online harassment, local newsrooms face pressure to self-censor, and regional journalists remain the most vulnerable to violence, including detention and killings. ... We hope that Ressa's win drives international attention to the plight of the Philippines' local media workers, and sends a signal that a free, unstifled and critical press is necessary for a healthy democracy."
Stephen J. Adler, chairman of the Reporters Committee on Freedom of the Press, said the committee's choice was "a powerful statement against the harassment and persecution of journalists just for doing their jobs in the public interest. Journalists have gotten a lot of criticism, a lot of heat and I think what people often forget is that journalistic freedom is about the public's right to know. It's not really about journalists' rights."
Reporters Without Borders chief Christophe Deloire said, "This is an extraordinary tribute to journalism, an excellent tribute to all journalists who take risks everywhere around the world to defend the right to information. ... It will be a decisive decade for journalism. Journalism is in danger, journalism is weakened, journalism is threatened. Democracies are weakened by disinformation, by rumors, by hate speech. This prize is a great signal a very powerful message to defend journalism everywhere."
Secretary-General of Amnesty International Agnes Callamard issued a statement saying, "For more than three decades, Maria Ressa has worked tirelessly as a journalist in the Philippines, carrying out vital investigative reporting on corruption, abuses of power, and human rights violations in President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly so-called war on drugs. As the co-founder of Rappler, a highly lauded and uncompromising online news site, she's opened the world's eyes to the brutality and pervasive impunity in the Philippines. Put simply, she is a global icon for press freedom."
"Dmitry Muratov has been a rock for free media in Russia, his newspaper producing hard-hitting, fearless journalism in the face of mortal danger in the country's increasingly perilous press environment. He is one of the few who continue to hold power to account. We salute the indefatigable professionalism and courage not only of Mr. Muratov, but of all those Russian journalists who have suffered while carrying out their professional duties."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
