CPJ’s 2020 International Press Freedom Awards
CPJ honored brave, courageous journalists from around the world on Thursday, November 19, 2020.
This year’s event was chaired by Patrick Gaspard, president of Open Society Foundations. The evening was hosted by Lester Holt of NBC News.
Press Release | Video | Invitation
CPJ’s 2020 award winners:
Renowned Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam was detained by police in August 2018, just hours after he was interviewed on Al-Jazeera and posted a video on Facebook about student protests in the country. In November 2018, he was freed on bail after 102 days in detention.
(Photo courtesy Shahidul Alam)
Mosaed is a freelance journalist who has investigated corruption and labor issues for reformist media. In 2019, he was arrested after he posted to Twitter during an internet shutdown. He was released, but detained again and his Twitter account suspended after he criticized the government’s unprepared response to COVID-19. In September, he was sentenced to more than four years in prison.
(Photo courtesy Farid Kamran Nia)
Olorunyomi is the co-founder, CEO, and publisher of the Nigerian newspaper Premium Times. Both have been subjected to official harassment over the years. Olorunyomi has dedicated his life to holding the powerful to account and is a fierce advocate for press freedom.
(Photo courtesy Dapo Olorunyomi)
Prokopyeva is a regional correspondent for the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Russia, known as Radio Svoboda. In July, she was convicted on terrorism charges in relation to a radio show in which she discussed a suicide bombing.
(Photo courtesy Artiom Avanesov)
Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award Winner
CPJ’s Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award is presented annually to an individual who has shown extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom.
Originally the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award, it was renamed in 2017 to honor Gwen Ifill, the veteran journalist and former CPJ board member who died in late 2016.
Amal Clooney specializes in public international law, international criminal law, and human rights. A strong advocate for press freedom, she has served as international counsel for several journalists under threat. She is currently representing Maria Ressa, CPJ’s 2018 Gwen Ifill award winner, who has been convicted of cyber libel, a criminal offense, in the Philippines.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images/Monica Schiffer)
Event Details
CPJ’s 30th annual International Press Freedom Awards ceremony will honor courageous journalists from around the world on Thursday, November 19, 2020.
For more information, call Buckley Hall Events at (914) 579-1000 or CPJ’s Development Office at (212) 300-9021, or email CPJdinner@buckleyhallevents.com.
Shahidul Alam, Bangladesh >
Mohammad Mosaed, Iran >
Dapo Olorunyomi, Nigeria >
Svetlana Prokopyeva, Russia >
Amal Clooney, Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award >
Main Awards >