Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize on October 8. Ressa is from the Philippines. Muratov is from Russia. They were recognized for championing freedom of expression in countries where journalists have limited rights.
Ressa is the first person from the Philippines to win the Peace Prize. She cofounded Rappler, an online news site for investigative journalism. It has exposed government corruption in the Philippines. Muratov cofounded the newspaper Novaya Gazeta. The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised the paper for its “critical attitude towards power.”
The committee said these journalists’ “courageous fight for freedom of expression” is necessary for “democracy and lasting peace.”