Most Resilient Journalist Award
The Free Press Award in the category Most Resilient Journalist is presented to a journalist who has demonstrated extraordinary strength of character, courage and perseverance in reporting the news.
Nominees of the Most Resilient Journalist have often faced imprisonment, violence and censorship for doing their job. They have shown a strong commitment to press freedom and independent information, and are generally highly-regarded journalists who are willing to risk their life or their freedom in order to keep the public informed.
They produce their work in the face of government oppression, political pressure, intimidation, physical violence and other obstacles. The Most Resilient Journalist Award honours journalists who risk everything to bring us the news, media pioneers who pave the way for equality and justice and those who persevere under the most difficult circumstances. In recognition of his or her achievements, the winner of the Most Resilient Journalist Award will receive a cash prize.
Previous winners of the Most Resilient Journalist Award are Mohammed Zaanoun from Palestine (2024), Dicle Müftüoğlu from Turkey (2023), the late Mantas Kvedaravičius from Lithuania (2022), Rozina Islam from Bangladesh (2021), and Maria Ressa from the Philippines (2020).
Free Press Awards
Note: no Free Press Live and no awards ceremony in 2025
Due to the fall of the government in June and the following elections expected to take place in autumn (probably at the end of October), usually the period in which Free Press Live is held, Free Press Unlimited has decided to postpone the event and awards to the end of January 2026.
Instead, Free Press Unlimited will run a campaign in the period before the elections to draw attention to press freedom and the safety of journalists. Free Press Live aims to honour brave and independent journalists, but also to inform policymakers about the global state of press freedom and journalist safety. We believe that we will be able to deliver this message more effectively in a more stable political environment.
Criteria Free Press Awards
Nominations for the awards will be judged by an independent panel of international experts. Please note the following when nominating:
- You can not nominate yourself
- When you nominate someone, make sure this person is aware and gives permission
- Make sure you have sufficient examples of work to upload with the nomination
The winner in the category 'Most Resilient Journalist' will receive a cash prize.
