New York, November 13, 2012– Four fearless journalists from Brazil, China, Kyrgyzstan and Liberia who risked their lives and liberty to expose wrongdoings will be awarded the Committee to Protect Journalists’ 2012 International Press Freedom Awards, an annual recognition of courageous reporting. Harassed, tortured, threatened and imprisoned for their critical investigations, the awardees have endured reprisals for their work and continue to persevere. The awards dinner is open for press coverage. Accreditation requests will be accepted until noon on November 19 (EST).
WHAT: 22nd annual International Press Freedom Awards dinner and the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award, honoring a lifetime commitment to press freedom, will be presented to Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian.
WHERE: Waldorf-Astoria, 301 Park Avenue, New York City
WHEN: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
6:00-6:30 p.m. Photo and interview opportunity in East Foyer
7:45 p.m. Awards ceremony and dinner
WHO: Dinner chairman: David Boies, chairman of Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP
Host: PBS senior correspondent and CPJ board member Gwen Ifill
Presenters: Christiane Amanpour of ABC News and CNN International, Matthew
Winkler of Bloomberg News, Kathleen Carroll of The Associated Press and Slate’s
International Press Freedom Award winners present at dinner:
Mauri König, Gazeta do Povo, Brazil (English, Portuguese)
Mae Azango, FrontPage Africa and New Narratives, Liberia (English)
Expert spokespersons will be available for imprisoned journalists:
Dhondup Wangchen, Filming for Tibet, China
Azimjon Askarov, reporter, Ferghana News and Golos Svobody, Kyrgyzstan