Why these two people-What the Nobel Peace Prize asks October 12, 19:35
Two journalists were selected for the Nobel Peace Prize this year.
Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta (59), and Maria Ressa, the representative of the Philippine Internet media Rappler (58).
Why was the Peace Prize awarded to journalists who are neither politicians nor the heads of international organizations?
A hint is the "Press Freedom" rankings of Russia and the Philippines.
1st Norway, 67th Japan, 138th Philippines, 150th Russia, 177th China, 179th North Korea (Summary of "Reporters Without Borders")
There is a spectacular view of the "freedom of the press" of each country. There were days of fighting.
(Moscow bureau reporter Hiroto Sadazu Manila bureau reporter Masashi Yamaguchi)
A man who did not succumb to a gun
Q What kind of person is Editor-in-Chief Dmitry Muratov?
He is one of the founders of the Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta and has been the editor-in-chief for a total of 24 years.
He has been critical of the Putin administration by reporting on the corruption of high-ranking government officials and the problems of environmental destruction in Russia, and has been internationally acclaimed as a central figure in protecting the freedom of the press in Russia.
Q Why was it chosen?
Novaya Gazeta, editor-in-chief of Mr. Muratov, is known for his critical attitude toward the Putin administration, while he has been threatening and violent, including the killing of six journalists so far. I received it.
The Nobel Peace Prize Selection Committee praised the achievements, stating the reasons for the award, saying, "Despite these threats, Editor-in-Chief Muratov has continued to protect the right of journalists to write what they want to write."
Q What kind of newspaper is "Novaya Gazeta" where 6 people were killed?
Known for his liberal tone, which has not been in power since its founding in 1995, he had a water-oil relationship with President Putin, who took office in 2000.
It has been cracked down a lot, but the one that shook Russian society was the murder of Anna Politkovskaya in 2006.
Politkovskaya was a brilliant reporter who fired a series of global scoops over the Chechen conflict, harshly criticizing President Putin and senior government officials who carried out the conflict.
However, in 2006, someone shot him in an apartment in Moscow and he was killed.
After that, the perpetrator was arrested and sentenced to prison, but the full story of the case, such as who ordered the murder, is still unknown.
In fact, October 7, the day before the Nobel Peace Prize was announced, was the anniversary of the death of Politkovskaya reporter, just 15 years ago.
Upon hearing the news of the award, Editor-in-Chief Muratov named each of the six journalists killed and said, "This award was given to my deceased colleagues, not to me." rice field.
Q Is the Putin administration's suppression of speech so severe?
The movement to contain freedom of press and speech is accelerating year by year.
In 2017, a law to strengthen government control was also applied to the media, and groups and individuals that the authorities consider to be "acting for the benefit of foreign countries" become "foreign agents" or "foreign spies." It is now specified.
Most of the targets are so-called independent media that do not receive financial support from the Russian government or state-owned enterprises.
Once designated as a "foreign agent," the authorities will be more closely monitored, leading to a series of media outlets leaving sponsors, suffering financial difficulties, and eventually being forced to shut down.
As of October 8, the Russian Ministry of Justice has designated 85 institutions and reporters as "foreign agents".
In particular, before the parliamentary elections in September, independent media were designated as "foreign agents" one after another, and it is believed that the aim was to contain criticism of the administration and overwhelm the ruling party.
Q How is the Putin administration reacting?
A spokesman for the Russian Presidential Administration issued a brief congratulatory message shortly after the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize, but Putin did not comment.
Meanwhile, on the 8th of the announcement, the Russian Ministry of Justice has designated three new media outlets and nine reporters as "foreign agents".
This time, the members of the international investigative journalism group "Bellingcat", which is also critical of the Putin administration, and the reporter of the BBC, a public broadcaster in the United Kingdom, have been designated.
It can be said that it implies the Putin administration's stance that "I do not intend to ease the pressure on the media."
Woman fighting President Duterte
Q What kind of person is Maria Ressa?
Born in the Philippines, after gaining a career as a journalist in various parts of Asia for more than 30 years, after working as a Manila bureau chief of the American television station CNN, he established and represents the Internet media "Rappler" in 2012.
He has a positive personality and is known for his cheerful personality that keeps smiling.
However, the strength of his belief as a journalist is hard-core, and he has continued to write articles that do not fit his teeth even against the powerful Duterte administration.
Lessa's habit is, "If people can't know the facts, there's no democracy. We're at the edge."
There is often a sense of crisis about the suppression of press freedom.
Q What have you criticized the Duterte administration?
He has severely criticized "abuse of power" by the president and government agencies.
The most extensive report was the crackdown on drugs, which can be said to be violent.
You might think what's wrong with cracking down on drugs, but the Duterte administration's crackdown is overkill.
For example, this photo.
This is a video of the moment when a suspect in the back of the room shouted, "Surrender! Don't shoot," to the police officer wearing the yellow vest in the foreground.
However, police officers then shot at least 14 bullets and killed the suspect.
Lessa and his colleagues shocked the Filipino people in June last year when they released investigative journalism that more than 100 minors were killed in these crackdowns.
As if to back up the report, in June, a prosecutor at the ICC = International Criminal Court in the Netherlands said that the Duterte administration, which was launched in 2016, said, "12,000 to 30,000 people in the first three years alone. He killed a person, "and asked the ICC's Prosecutor's Office for formal investigation permission.
Three months later, the Preliminary Hearing Tribunal allowed the prosecutor to conduct a formal investigation, saying that "there is a reasonable basis for determining that a murder of'crimes against humanity'was committed in a form called the'war on drugs'." ..
Q Is "freedom of the press" suppressed in the Philippines?
It has been getting worse since the Duterte administration was inaugurated.
From the reflection of the time of former President Marcos (1917-1989), who originally established a dictatorship in the Philippines, freedom of the press has been regarded as the key to protecting democracy, and a certain amount of respect has been paid.
However, President Duterte clarified his confrontation with the media as public opinion increased, criticizing his violent drug crackdown as "human rights violations!"
For example, ABS-CBN, which was the largest commercial broadcaster in the Philippines, was suddenly revoked last year, and even now, except for some cable TVs, broadcasting cannot be resumed.
Q Is Mr. Lessa all right?
President Duterte once criticized Lessa by name in a public television speech last year.
Abusive words such as "Lessa is a scammer. I'll reveal all his lies" were broadcast nationwide.
Many people were frowned upon by personal attacks that did not seem to be the head of state.
In addition, Mr. Lessa has been brought to court three years ago after being sued for defamation by a man who is said to have a close relationship with the administration.
According to liberal legal experts, laws that should not have been applied were arbitrarily applied and convicted of up to six years in prison.
In the Philippines, there was fierce criticism that "the judge took the initiative of the administration and suppressed the press."
Although Lessa was released on bail, the trial is still ongoing.
Postscript
Q Will the world change with this year's Nobel Peace Prize?
"Freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press" have retreated not only in Russia and the Philippines, but all over the world, and have become international issues.
According to the International NPO Committee to Protect Journalists, the number of journalists imprisoned last year (2020) reached 274 worldwide, the most serious situation in nearly 30 years.
In Hong Kong, for example, a law to crack down on anti-government movements came into force last year, which led to the arrest and prosecution of newspaper founders and executives known for their critical tone in China.
In Belarus, which has a close relationship with Russia, a passenger plane was forcibly landed by the Lukashenko administration in May, and anti-government journalists were detained.
With the word "fake news!", The situation of trying to block the criticism of ourselves is now happening all over the world.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said of the Nobel Peace Prize this year: "Freedom of the press is essential for peace, justice and human rights. Investigate fraud, inform citizens and reveal leaders' responsibilities. Without a journalist to do it, a free and just society cannot be realized. "
If the freedom of press and speech is compromised and journalism is weakened, the foundations of democracy can be shaken.
This year's Peace Award is a manifestation of the sense of crisis that "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press" will be suppressed, and reiterates the role it should play in journalists and the media.
Moscow bureau reporter
禰津Hiroto
2002 He joined
Yokohama station, International Department, Political Department, Tehran bureau,
WASHINGTON,
current affiliation through the Vienna bureau
Russia and the former Soviet charge
Manila bureau reporter
Masashi Yamaguchi
Joined in 2006
After working at
Utsunomiya
Broadcasting
Station,
Nagano
Broadcasting
Station, and
International Affairs Department of
the
News
Bureau, his
current
specialty is Vietnamese
since
2018.