Nobel Peace Prize for Journalists from Russia and the Philippines

OSLO - The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2021 to journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.

Muratov co-founded Novaya Gazeta in 1993, the most independent newspaper in Russia, with a fundamentally critical attitude towards power. Gorbachev, who got his Nobel in 1990, donated some of his peace prize award to help the new paper buy computers and pay staff. On Friday, Gorbachev described Muratov’s award as “very good news… it raises the importance of the press in the modern world to great heights”. Muratov promised to “leverage this prize for Russian journalists which [Russian authorities] are now trying to repress”.

Since its founding, Novaya Gazeta has published critical articles and investigations on topics such as corruption, police violence, illegal arrests, electoral manipulations, troll factories, the use of Russian troops inside and outside Russia, Chechen Wars, and human rights violations. Six of the paper’s reporters and contributors have been murdered for their work. Muratov said the prize belonged to them: “It’s for Igor Domnikov, it’s for Yuri Shchekochikhin, it’s for Anna Politkovskaya, it’s for Nastya Baburova, it’s for Natalia Estemirova, for Stas Markelov. It is that of those who died defending the right of people to freedom of speech.” In 2008, Cinema for Peace co-produced the film 'Letter to Anna' about Anna Politkovskaya, the journalist from Novaya Gazeta, murdered 15 years ago.

Maria Ressa, the first prize winner from the Philippines co-founded Rappler in 2012 - a news website that focuses on the Rodrigo Duterte regime’s controversial and murderous anti-drug campaign. According to Amnesty International, during the first six months of his presidency, more than 7000 people were killed as a part of his anti-drug campaign without proper investigation and trial. The government initiated a huge media campaign against journalists and campaigners opposed to the regime and persecutions. Ressa documented how social media is being used to spread fake news, harass opponents and manipulate public discourse. She was constantly persecuted due to her work under different far-fetched cases and became a representation of the enemy in the eyes of those in power.

For the last five years, every day, Ressa has been receiving messages threatening to rape, torture, or murder her. Despite the fact that the Philippines is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists (87 journalists were killed since 1992) she came back to Manila, where she was immediately arrested and sentenced to six years in prison. Ressa is now released on bail, but there are about a dozen more criminal cases, initiated against her which amounts to more than 100 years in jail in total. "It’s a recognition of the difficulties but also hopefully, of how we’re going to win the battle for truth. The battle for facts. We hold the line,” says Maria about her prize.

'Letter to Anna' tells the story of Anna Politkovskaya, the Novaya Gazeta journalist who was assassinated for her reports on the war in Chechnya

“A Thousand Cuts”, highlights Maria Ressa’s work in the Philippines.