Nobel Peace Prize 2021: Know more about winners Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov

Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov have been awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2021 for ir efforts to protect freedom of expression in Philippines and Russia, respectively. “Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda,” said Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of Norwegian Nobel Committee as she announced prize in Oslo, on October 8. Ressa and Muratov have been awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2021 for ir brave fight for freedom of expression. At same time, y are ambassors for all journalists who fight for this ideal in a world where democracy and press freedom are increasingly threatened. 

Who is Maria Ressa?

Maria Angelita Ressa became this year's first female Nobel laureate and Philippines' first independent Nobel laureate. Maria A Ressa is CEO and executive editor of Rappler, a social news network based in Philippines. Ressa has worked as a journalist in Asia for nearly three deces, majority of which she spent as bureau chief of CNN in Manila (1987-1995) and subsequently Jakarta (1995-2005). She was CNN's main investigative correspondent covering terrorism in Souast Asia and author of Seeds of Terror: An Eyewitness Account of al-Newest Qaeda's Operations Center in Souast Asia (Free Press, 2003). She became president of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs in 2005, where she spent six years defining strategic direction and overseeing more than 1,000 journalists for Philippines' largest multi-platform news operation.

Ressa was named one of Time's Person of Year 2018 as one of a group of journalists fighting fake news worldwide. Ressa is one of 25 leing figures on Reporters Without Borders' Information and Democracy Commission. Ressa was awarded UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize in April 2021.

She has taught courses throughout Souast Asia on Politics and Press for her alma mater, Princeton University, as well as brocast journalism for University of Philippines. As author-in-residence and Senior Fellow at International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore, she worked on her second book, From Bin Len to Facebook. She is also a Visiting Scholar from South-East Asia at Naval Postgruate School's CORE Lab in Monterey, California.

Maria Ressa uses her right to free speech to expose abuses of power, use of violence, and rise of authoritarianism in her native Philippines. Ressa has demonstrated herself to be a brave supporter of freedom of expression as a journalist and CEO of Rappler. Rappler has criticised Duterte ministration's controversial and fatal anti-drug campaign. campaign resembles a battle waged against country's own people due to many deaths.  Ressa and Rappler have also exposed how social media is being used to propagate false information, harass dissenters, and sway public opinion.

Who is Dmitry Muratov?

Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov is a Russian journalist and editor-in-chief of Russian daily Novaya Gazeta, which Committee to Protect Journalists has described as " only auntically critical publication with national significance in Russia today." publication is noted for its in-depth coverage of delicate issues like government corruption and human rights violations. He was editor of newspaper from 1995 until 2017.

Committee to Protect Journalists awarded him International Press Freedom Award in 2007. prize honours journalists who have demonstrated courage in protecting journalistic freedom in face of threats, incarceration, or violence. He was awarded Legion of Honor, France's highest honour, in degree of Chevalier on January 18, 2010. (Knight). In Middelburg, Nerlands, on May 29, 2010, he received Four Freedoms Award for Freedom of Speech for Novaya Gazeta. He spent five years at Lomonosov Moscow State University's Faculty of Philology when he discovered his passion for journalism. He networked with local publications and worked part-time in journalism while in college. Muratov started working as a correspondent for Volzhsky Komsomolets newspaper in 1987. At this publication, Muratov was given a chance to express himself and prove himself truly. His superiors were so impressed that he was promoted to He of Komsomolskaya Pravda Youth Department by end of his first year and n to editor of news pieces.

Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov has fought for freedom of speech in Russia for deces, despite increasingly difficult circumstances. Novaja Gazeta has published critical pieces on various topics since its inception in 1993, including corruption, police aggression, unlawful arrests, election fraud, and “troll factories,” as well as use of Russian armed forces both inside and outside Russia.

Image: AP