Journalists win 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia earned the prize for their “free, independent, fact-based journalism,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said. Ressa, 58, co-founded Rappler in 2012, a news site that has criticized President Rodrigo Duterte’s regime and has documented fake news and social media harassment. Muratov, 59, helped found the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta in 1993 and has been its editor in chief since 1995. He is the first Russian to win the Nobel Peace Prize since Mikhail Gorbachev received it in 1990. Gorbachev used some of his prize money to fund computer and office equipment for what would become Novaya Gazeta.

Why did the prize go to journalists? The Nobel committee highlighted Ressa’s and Muratov’s work in dangerous environments to discuss the importance of freedom of the press to prevent wars and spread truth. Ressa has faced several libel charges and is currently out on bail. Muratov has frequently bailed his reporters out of dangerous situations and fought for their rights to cover any topic. Six Novaya Gazeta journalists have been killed since its launch. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 23 Russian media workers and 17 Filipino journalists were killed in the past decade.

Dig deeper: Read Erica Kwong’s report on the fall of Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy newspaper.