JournalismPakistan.com | Published July 18, 2017
Join our WhatsApp channel
NEW YORK - The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor journalists from Cameroon, Mexico, Thailand, and Yemen with its 2017 International Press Freedom Awards.
The journalists have faced government harassment, death threats, or imprisonment in their pursuit of the truth. CPJ is also honoring PBS journalist Judy Woodruff with its inaugural Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award.
CPJ’s 2017 IPFA awardees are:
Ahmed Abba (top, rght) a correspondent for Radio France Internationale’s Hausa service, who was imprisoned in Cameroon in July 2015. He was convicted on terrorism-related charges and sentenced in early 2017 to 10 years in prison in connection with his coverage of the extremist sect Boko Haram.
Patricia Mayorga (top, left), a correspondent for the Mexico City-based newsmagazine Proceso, who has received threats over her coverage of alleged links between Mexico’s ruling party and organized crime, forced disappearances, and human rights issues.
Pravit Rojanaphruk (bottom, right), a critical reporter and press freedom advocate in Thailand, who was harassed by the government and detained twice in recent years over his coverage of Thai politics and human rights.
Afrah Nasser (bottom, left), a leading Yemeni reporter and blogger, who covers tensions in her home country from Sweden, where she lives in exile. Nasser, who also reports on human rights violations, women’s issues, and press freedom, fled Yemen after receiving death threats over articles that criticized the regime during the 2011 uprising.
“Journalists around the world face growing threats and pressure,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “Those we honor are the most courageous and committed. They stand as an example that journalism matters.”
CPJ’s inaugural Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award will be presented to Judy Woodruff, the award-winning broadcast journalist and managing editor of “PBS NewsHour.”
Woodruff has covered news and politics at CNN, NBC, and PBS for more than three decades. The award honors the memory of Gwen Ifill, the award-winning PBS “NewsHour” journalist and CPJ senior advisor and former board member who died in November 2016. The award will be presented to individuals who show extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom.
“It's wonderful that the first person honored by the prize named for Gwen Ifill is her PBS partner and friend, Judy Woodruff,” said CPJ Board Chair Kathleen Carroll. “Woodruff has a storied career and, like Ifill, also makes tireless contributions to the profession and to journalists. She is the epitome of the values that CPJ stands for and it is an honor to present her with the first Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award.”
All of the winners will be honored at CPJ’s annual award and benefit dinner. This year’s chairman is David Rhodes, president of CBS News. The host will be Christiane Amanpour, chief international correspondent for CNN and CPJ senior advisor. The event is at the Grand Hyatt New York in New York City on November 15, 2017. – Committee to Protect Journalists
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.