On Friday, Philippine journalist Maria Ressa alongside Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov won the Nobel Peace Prize.
The successful pair were honored for "their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace."
Furthermore, Ressa and Muratov were recognized for their "courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia.
The head of the Philippine renowned news website Rappler Ressa, 58, said, beaming throughout her victory news conference: "I am in shock."
Commenting on the pair's recent achievement, Norwegian Nobel Committee Chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen told reporters that they represent all journalists who defend this ideal at a time when democracy and freedom face "increasingly adverse conditions."
In response, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CpJ) congratulated journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, saying: “Dmitry Muratov and Maria Ressa personify the values of press freedom and the reason it matters. These are journalists under personal threat, who continuously defy censorship and repression to report the news, and have led the way for others to do the same."
In 2021, Ressa was found guilty of "cyber libel" in a high-profile case that stirred concern over press freedom in the Southeast Asian country. While the case was brought by a businessman over a 2012 story, many believe Ressa and Rappler were targeted over their extensive reporting on Duterte's deadly drug war and other politically sensitive issues.
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