Nobel Peace Prize 2021 Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov win for fight for freedom of expression

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their fight for freedom of expression.

Ms Ressa is a leading reporter in the Philippines who co-founded Rappler, a news website that has focused “critical attention on the (President Rodrigo) Duterte regime’s controversial, murderous anti-drug campaign,” the Nobel committee said.

She and Rappler have also documented “how social media is being used to spread fake news, harass opponents and manipulate public discourse”.

Mr Muratov was one of the founders of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta in 1993.

The Nobel Committee said the publication had a “fundamentally critical attitude towards power”, adding: “The newspaper’s fact-based journalism and professional integrity have made it an important source of information on censurable aspects of Russian society rarely mentioned by other media.”

Announcing the winners in Oslo on Friday, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Berit Reiss-Andersen said: “Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda.

“Without freedom of expression and freedom of the press, it will be difficult to successfully promote fraternity between nations, disarmament and a better world order to succeed in our time.”

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