Melbourne (Chindwin): Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov have won 2021 Nobel Peace Prize as Norgwegian Nobel Committee recognized the crucial contribution of an independent media to democracy, which the prize-giving Committee described as being under an assault.
The Committee decided to award the two journalists together for “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”
Ms Ressa and Mr Muratov are receiving the Peace Prize – one of the most prestigious global Awards from Philippines and Russia.
Enduring the wraths of both leaders of Russia and Philippines, Ms Maria Ressa and Dmitry Andrevevich Muratov braved to expose corruption and misrule in each of their countries.
The duo won the Award out of 329 nominees coming from around the world.
Chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen of the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the winner of Nobel Peace Prize for 2021, on 08 October. The prize ceremony is scheduled to be held Friday on 10 December 2021 in Oslo, Norway.
Ms Ressa is a CEO of Rappler which is a digital media company for investigative journalism in Philippines. She is fearless defender of freedom of expression and critic of President Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
Mr. Muratov has been editor-in-chief for Novaja Gazeta for the last 24 years since 1995 and he remains chief of the newspaper despite the killings of staff members and threats, firmly choosing to defend the rights of journalists who are facing harassment and subject to targeted killing in Russia.
The Nobel Committee’s Chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said “Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war proganda, adding that “They are representatives of all journalists who stand up for this idea in a world in which freedom of press face increasingly adverse conditions”.
Maria Ressa is the first individual ever received the Peace Prize from Phillipines, while Mr Muratove is second Russian to receive the Prize since Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990.
This is the first Nobel Prize for journalists in 86 years since German Carl von Ossietzky won the Peace Prize in 1935.
