Announcement in Oslo: Nobel Peace Prize for Ressa and Muratow

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize goes to journalists Dmitri Muratow and Maria Ressa. The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized her for her commitment to freedom of expression. The prize is endowed with 985,000 euros.

Journalist Maria Ressa from the Philippines and journalist Dmitri Muratow from Russia will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year. This was announced by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo. The chairman of the committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, said that they received the award for their efforts to uphold freedom of expression, which is a prerequisite for democracy and lasting peace.

Her award is intended to underline the importance of protecting freedom of expression and freedom of the press. “Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda,” said Reiss-Andersen. Ressa and Muratow stand “on behalf of all journalists who defend this ideal in a world in which democracy and freedom of the press find increasingly unfavorable conditions”.

Commitment to freedom of expression

As a journalist and head of “Rappler”, a digital medium for investigative journalism, Ressa has proven to be an intrepid defender of freedom of expression, explained Reiss-Andersen. Ressa used the freedom of the press to expose “abuse of power, violence and growing authoritarianism” in the Philippines. The 58-year-old reported critical of President Rodrigo Duterte’s “controversial, murderous anti-drug campaign”.

The 59-year-old Muratov, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Russian newspaper “Novaja Gazeta”, refused to give up the independence of his newspaper despite murders and threats and “consistently advocated the rights of journalists,” said Reiss-Andersen. He had “defended freedom of expression in Russia for decades under increasingly difficult conditions”.

329 candidates were nominated

Ressa is the 18th woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Muratow is the 91st man in the list of award winners since the award was first presented in 1901. The prize is traditionally presented on December 10th in Oslo, the anniversary of the death of the founder Alfred Nobel. It is endowed with ten million Swedish kronor (around 985,000 euros).

Last year, the award went to the United Nations World Food Program, which was honored, among other things, for its fight against hunger in the world. This year 329 candidates – 234 personalities and 95 organizations – had been nominated. This is the third largest number of nominees ever.

50 years of secrecy

The names of the nominees are traditionally kept secret for 50 years. Former Chancellor Willy Brandt, the last German prize winner, was honored in 1971 for his Ostpolitik, which had contributed to the relaxation of the Cold War.

As the only Nobel Prize, the Nobel Peace Prize is not awarded in Stockholm, but in Oslo. It is considered the most prestigious political award in the world.