Reporters Without Borders and French newspaper Le Monde have announced the recipients of The 2011 Press Freedom Prize. Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat was honored for his cartoons that “depict the abuses of Syria’s regime, which has come under growing criticism this year for its efforts to tamp down a growing pro-democracy movement”
Also honored was the Burmese newspaper Weekly Eleven News.
From their press release:
“This year we are honouring a courageous journalist who has been the victim of brutal repression by an obsolete government,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Jean-Francois Julliard said. “Ali Ferzat fully deserves this award. His cartoons target the abuses of a desperate regime with its back to the wall and encourage Syrians to demand their rights and to express themselves freely.
“We are also honouring a newspaper that has never bowed to Burma’s censors. Weekly Eleven News has always stood up to the military junta, using extraordinary ingenuity to slip through the censorship net and inform the Burmese public. Its editors and reporters have taken considerable risks and deserve our encouragement. At a time when Burmese political life and society seem to be showing signs of opening up, Weekly Eleven News has more than ever a key role to play.”