KARACHI: Well-known media watchdogs the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) have announced this year’s recipients of their respective press freedom prizes.

In a statement, the RSF said it had conferred its press freedom awards on Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan in the courage category, Palestinian journalist Majdoleen Hassona in the independence category and the Pegasus Project in the impact category.

According to the RSF statement, six journalists and six media outlets from 11 countries were nominated for the prizes.

The CPJ, meanwhile, paid tribute to brave journalists from Guatemala, Mozambique, and Myanmar by presenting them with CPJ’s 2021 International Press Freedom Awards in New York. CPJ also honoured Hong Kong’s media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai with its 2021 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award.

A CPJ statement said the recipients of its awards included Mozambican investigative journalist Matías Guente, Guatemalan radio journalist Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz, and Myanmar journalist and Democratic Voice of Burma’s founder Aye Chan Naing.

Matías Guente received his award from CNN correspondent Nima Elbagir, Aye Chan Naing from Ed Yong of The Atlantic and Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz from New York Times Magazine journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones.

Imprisoned Hong Kong media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai received this year’s Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award for his sustained commitment to a free press as a cornerstone of democracy. Journalist Amanda Bennett, a former director of Voice of America, interviewed Lai’s son, Sebastien Lai, who shared the story of his father’s courage in the face of crackdowns from authorities, added the CPJ statement.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2021