Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov on Friday, 8 October, won the Nobel Peace Prize 2021.
They have bagged the award “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”
Both journalists have faced several attempts from both Philippines and Russian governments to silence their publication.
Maria Ressa – A Journalist Who Fought Several Attempts to Silence Her
Ressa is the Executive Editor and CEO of Rappler – an online news outlet – covering the policies and actions of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's regime.
Born in Manila in 1963, Ressa co-founded independent production company Probe in 1987, while she also functioned as CNN's bureau chief in Manila until 1995. For the next 10 years, she ran the channel's Jakarta bureau, until 2005.
She established Rappler in 2012 with three other female founders and with a small team of 12. The website became one of the first multimedia news websites in the Philippines – sweeping local and international awards.
Ressa was named Time's Person of the Year in 2018. The following year, in February 2019, the journalist was arrested over a Rappler news story on businessman Wilfredo Keng.
An outspoken critic of Duterte, Ressa's arrest was seen as politically motivated, and a means to silence her.
Dmitry Muratov – Founder of 'Only Truly Critical Newspaper' in Russia
Muratov is the editor-in-chief of Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta. It was founded by him in 1993, and he edited the newspaper until 2017.
According to CNN, the newspaper has exposed several cases of abuse of power, human rights violation and corruption.
The Committee to Protect Journalists called his newspaper the "only truly critical newspaper with national influence in Russia today."
He won the International Press Freedom Award from Committee to Protect Journalists in 2007. Three years later, he received the Legion of Honor order, France's highest award, in the degree of Chevalier (Knight).
The editor also received for the Novaya Gazeta the Four Freedoms Award for Freedom of Speech in Middelburg, the Netherlands in 2010.
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