Writers and editors from Ethiopia, Russia, Venezuela, and Iran will receive CPJ's International Press Freedom Awards.
(CPJ/IFEX) – New York, October 5, 2010 – The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor four courageous journalists with its 2010 International Press Freedom Awards at a ceremony in November. Dawit Kebede of Ethiopia, Nadira Isayeva of Russia, Laureano Márquez of Venezuela, and Mohammad Davari of Iran have risked their freedom and security to report the truth as they see it in their countries.
“The winners of the 2010 International Press Freedom Awards have endured violence, threats, imprisonment, and even torture because of their work as journalists,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Each has made a vital contribution to civic life in his or her country. They have exposed wrongdoing, denounced corruption, and cast a skeptical eye on official actions. We honor and support their independence and courage.”
Aryeh Neier, president of the Open Society Institute, will receive CPJ’s Burton Benjamin Memorial Award in honor of his long career in defense of press freedom and human rights.
The awards will be presented at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York on Tuesday, November 23. Sir Howard Stringer, chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Sony Corp., is chairman of the benefit. Brian Williams, a CPJ board member and anchor and managing editor of NBC’s “Nightly News,” will be the host.