Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov win Nobel Peace Prize

The Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo has given the 2021 Peace Prize on Friday to journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov.

"Ms. Ressa and Mr. Muratov are receiving the Peace Prize for their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia," committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen announced.

"At the same time, they are representatives of all journalists who stand up for this ideal in a world in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse conditions," she added.

Who are Ressa and Muratov?

Ressa, 58, is the founder and CEO of Rappler, an online news site combating misinformation and documenting the human rights abuses carried out by Philippine President Rodridgo Duterte's administration as part of his brutal war on drugs.

She was convicted of online libel in 2020 under the country's controversial anti-cybercrime law, which critics say is merely a guise for "cyber-authoritarianism."

Muratov was the editor-in-chief of Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta from 1995 to 2017. Known for its investigative journalism covering corruption and crime, seven of the paper's journalists have been murdered since 2000.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has called Novaya Gazeta the "only truly critical newspaper with national influence in Russia today," amidst President Vladimir Putin's crackdown on dissent.

How are the recipients chosen?

Each year, the committee permits nominations from a large pool of experts, such as academics, lawmakers, and previous recipients.

The winner is invited to Norway to give a Nobel lecture and receive a monetary prize worth 10 million Swedish kronor (over $1.14 million; €980,000).

The only prize not handed out in Sweden, the peace prize is awarded to those who have "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations."

However, the prize is not without controversy, having been given in the past to individuals who went on to be accused of human rights abuses and war crimes.

(Photo Credit: Twitter/@NobelPrize)