New York, July 18, 2017—The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor
journalists from Cameroon, Mexico, Thailand, and Yemen with its 2017
International Press Freedom Awards. The journalists have faced government
harassment, death threats, or imprisonment in their pursuit of the truth.
CPJ is
also honoring PBS journalist Judy Woodruff with its inaugural Gwen Ifill
Press
Freedom Award.
CPJ’s 2017 IPFA awardees are:
Ahmed Abba [https://cpj.org/awards/2017/ahmed-abba-cameroon.php] , a
correspondent for Radio France Internationale’s Hausa service, who was
imprisoned in Cameroon in July 2015. He was convicted on terrorism-related
charges and sentenced in early 2017 to 10 years in prison in connection
with his
coverage of the extremist sect Boko Haram.
Patricia Mayorga [https://cpj.org/awards/2017/patricia-mayorga-mexico.php]
, a correspondent for the Mexico City-based newsmagazine Proceso , who has
received threats over her coverage of alleged links between Mexico’s
ruling party and organized crime, forced disappearances, and human rights
issues.
Pravit Rojanaphruk
[https://cpj.org/awards/2017/pravit-rojanaphruk-thailand.php] , a critical
reporter and press freedom advocate in Thailand, who was harassed
by the government and detained twice in recent years over his coverage of
Thai
politics and human rights.
Afrah Nasser [https://cpj.org/awards/2017/afrah-nasser-yemen.php] , a
leading Yemeni reporter and blogger, who covers tensions in her home
country from Sweden, where she lives in exile. Nasser, who also reports on
human
rights violations, women’s issues, and press freedom, fled Yemen after
receiving
death threats over articles that criticized the regime during the 2011
uprising.
“Journalists around the world face growing threats and pressure,” said CPJ
Executive Director Joel Simon. “Those we honor are the most courageous and
committed. They stand as an example that journalism matters.”
CPJ’s inaugural Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award will be presented to Judy
Woodruff [https://cpj.org/awards/2017/judy-woodruff.php] , the
award-winning broadcast journalist and managing editor of “PBS NewsHour.”
Woodruff has covered news and politics at CNN, NBC, and PBS for more than
three
decades. The award honors the memory of Gwen Ifill, the award-winning PBS
“NewsHour” journalist and CPJ senior advisor and former board member who
died in
November 2016. The award will be presented to individuals who show
extraordinary
and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom.
“It’s wonderful that the first person honored by the prize named for Gwen
Ifill
is her PBS partner and friend, Judy Woodruff,” said CPJ Board Chair Kathleen
Carroll. “Woodruff has a storied career and, like Ifill, also makes tireless
contributions to the profession and to journalists. She is the epitome of the
values that CPJ stands for and it is an honor to present her with the
first Gwen
Ifill Press Freedom Award.”
All of the winners will be honored at CPJ’s annual award and benefit dinner.
This year’s chairman is David Rhodes, president of CBS News. The host will be
Christiane Amanpour, chief international correspondent for CNN and CPJ senior
advisor. The event is at the Grand Hyatt New York in New York City on
November
15, 2017.
Note to editors: CPJ International Press Freedom Award winners are
available for interviews,
upon request, prior to the awards dinner on November 15, 2017. Media
accreditation for coverage of the awards dinner will begin on October 23.
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CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press
freedom worldwide