The Nobel Peace Prize rewards two symbols of the independence of the press. It was awarded jointly to Maria Ressa and Dimitri Muratov “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression”, announced the Nobel committee on Friday 8 October. Both are co-founders of independent investigative media in their countries: Rappler in the Philippines and the Novaya Gazeta in Russia.
Maria Ressa and Dimitri Mouratov “are the representatives of all journalists who defend this ideal in a world where democracy and freedom of the press are faced with increasingly unfavorable conditions”, said the chair of the Nobel committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, in Oslo (Norway).
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
Aged 59, Dimitri Muratov, also editor-in-chief of the Novaya Gazeta, “has for decades defended freedom of expression in Russia under increasingly difficult conditions”, underlined the jury. Six members of the newspaper’s editorial staff have been assassinated since 2000, the most famous of them being Anna Politkovskaya.
Dmitry Muratov received congratulations from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday: “He works continuously by following his ideals, by keeping them. He is talented and courageous”.
Maria Ressa, 58 years old, “uses freedom of speech to expose abuse of power and growing authoritarianism in her homeland, the Philippines”, directed by Rodrigo Duterte, with his online investigative media Rappler co-founded in 2012, praised the jury.
This is the first time that a Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to journalists for their defense and exercise of press freedom. This is “a prerequisite for democracy and lasting peace”, reminds the jury in his press release.