Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Two Journalists Who Defended 'Freedom of Expression' (Comprehensive)

▲Maria Ressa of the Philippines (left) and Dmitry Muratov of Russia, Nobel Peace Prize laureates [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] This year's Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to two journalists, Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia, for their contributions to protecting freedom of expression.

On the 8th (local time), the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov were selected as joint recipients of the Peace Prize.

The Nobel Committee stated the reason for the selection as "awarding the prize for efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a prerequisite for democracy and lasting peace."

Both are recognized as journalists who, despite government oppression and adversity, stood against dictatorship and led the realization of freedom of expression, demonstrating the essence of journalism.

Maria Ressa co-founded the online media outlet Rappler in 2012 and took the lead in reporting on corruption in the Rodrigo Duterte administration. Ressa particularly criticized President Duterte's globally controversial "war on drugs." She is regarded as a figure who utilized freedom of expression to expose the rising authoritarianism, use of violence, and abuse of power in the Philippines. She has also received the Golden Pen Award from the World Association of Newspapers.

Dmitry Muratov co-founded the independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta in 1993 and has criticized President Vladimir Putin. Novaya Gazeta has been noted as an important source of information in Russia, which is criticized as a censored society, based on fact-based journalism and journalistic spirit.

Since the newspaper's founding, six journalists have lost their lives.

Muratov has served as editor-in-chief, striving to maintain the independence of reporting and protect the rights of journalists.

The Nobel Committee evaluated Muratov as "having defended press freedom in Russia over decades in an increasingly harsh environment."

According to the Associated Press, this is the first time since German Carl von Ossietzky won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1935 for exposing Germany's secret rearmament after World War I that journalists have received the Peace Prize.

The Nobel Committee emphasized, "Free, independent, and fact-based journalism plays a role in countering abuse of power, lies, and war propaganda," adding, "The Nobel Committee believes that freedom of expression and freedom of information secure the public's right to know, which is a prerequisite for democracy and protects people from war and conflict."

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded a total of 102 times from 1901 to this year, with no recipients in 19 years due to reasons such as World War I and II (1914?1916, 1918, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1939?1943, 1948, 1955?1956, 1966?1967, 1972).

Up to this year, a total of 137 individuals have received the prize. Among them, the number of female laureates increased to 18 with the addition of Maria Ressa this year.

When organizations have received the Peace Prize, it has been awarded a total of 28 times, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) receiving it three and two times respectively. Other recipients include the United Nations and the European Union.

The record for the most Peace Prizes awarded is held by the ICRC, which has won three times. Henri Dunant, the founder of the ICRC, received the first-ever Peace Prize.

The youngest recipient was Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani human rights activist who survived a Taliban shooting, at the age of 17 in 2014.

So far, only one person has refused the Peace Prize.

Le Duc Tho, representative of North Vietnam, was jointly awarded the prize in 1973 with then U.S. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger for leading the Paris Peace Accords, the ceasefire agreement in the Vietnam War. However, he uniquely refused the award, citing that true peace had not come to his country.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.