23rd Annual Ceremony and Dinner
To benefit the Committee to Protect Journalists
Four journalists who face imprisonment or other persecution for exposing realities in Ecuador, Egypt, Turkey, and Vietnam will be honored with the Committee to Protect Journalists’ 2013 International Press Freedom Awards, an annual recognition of the courageous reporting that defines free media.
The awardees–Janet Hinostroza (Teleamazonas, Ecuador), Bassem Youssef (Egypt), Nedim Şener (Posta, Turkey) and Nguyen Van Hai (Dieu Cay, Vietnam)–are confronting severe reprisals for their work, including legal harassment, physical threats, and imprisonment. Hinostroza was forced to temporarily give up one television program to ensure her safety after being threatened; Youssef has come under legal investigation for his satirical newscast; and Şener is charged with terrorist activity for his critical reporting and could be sentenced to 15 years in prison. Nguyen Van Hai, one of Vietnam’s best known bloggers, created an independent alternative in a country where all news publications are controlled by the government. Consequently, he is serving a 12-year prison sentence under a vague law that bars “conducting propaganda” against the state.
CPJ will present Paul Steiger, founding editor-in-chief of ProPublica, with the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award for lifetime achievement in the cause of press freedom. Steiger, who served as CPJ chairman for six years, from 2005 to 2011, was managing editor of The Wall Street Journal from 1991 to 2007.
All of the winners will be honored at CPJ’s annual award and benefit dinner in New York City on November 26, 2013. Scott Pelley, managing editor of “CBS Evening News,” will host the event. Daniel L. Doctoroff, chief executive and president of Bloomberg L.P., is the dinner chairman.
Full press release available in Arabic, English, Spanish, and Turkish.
CPJ International Press Freedom Awards:
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Grand Ballroom
The Waldorf-Astoria
New York City
For tickets, please call CPJ’s Development Office at +1 (212) 465-1004, ext. 113.
CPJ 2013 International Press Freedom Awardees:
Janet Hinostroza, Ecuador
Bassem Youssef, Egypt
Nedim Şener, Turkey
Nguyen Van Hai, Vietnam
Burton Benjamin Memorial Awardee:
Paul Steiger, United States
Media contact: Magnus Ag, Advocacy and Communications Officer; email: [email protected]; tel: +1.212.300.9007