The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) delivered this Thursday night, in a special ceremony in Washington, three recognitions to five journalists from different parts of the world, considering that in their work “they face unprecedented challenges” for which it is urgent support them.
The founder and director of the Salvadoran investigative outlet El Faro, Carlos Dada, collected one of the “2022 Tribute to Journalists” awards together with colleagues from other distant backgrounds such as the team of three Ukrainian journalists, Evgeniy Maloletka, Vasilisa Stepanenko, Mstyslav Chernov, that they try to show the world – to Associated Press– the reality of his country invaded by Russia.
The next medal went to the journalist Anisa Shaheed, who gave coverage for the television station TOLOnews in Afghanistan until the capital Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021 and there was a stampede of people trying to flee the country by any means possible.
Currently she works from exile, lacking space and possibilities to work in a country dominated by men and deteriorated after the return of Islamist extremism to power.
The director of El Faro, Carlos Dada told the voice of america who received this recognition from the ICFJ on behalf of Central American journalists who face adverse situations due to the different ways that affect the free exercise of journalism in the region.
“I receive this award on behalf of all my Central American colleagues who are having a very hard time today, who have less visibility than us (in El Faro) and who face harassment, threats and challenges even greater than us, I feel very honored to receive it to name of all those people and to be able to attract attention”, Dada opined.
The organization believes that Dada’s work at the helm of El Faro, as the first digital media outlet in Latin America, generated “a leading force for high-quality, independent journalism in the region.”
The ICFJ considers that the informative work has acquired enormous challenges with “hostile” environments in different parts of the world that can range from risks to the physical integrity of communicators in the exercise of their profession as the “stigmatization” of journalistic activities.
Given this, the international support organization for press freedom considers it vital to reinforce the recognition and support the development of quality and committed journalism as a key piece in democracies.
The president of the ICFJ, Sharon Moshavi told the audience in her speech that journalism is vital to strengthen democracy because the work of all journalists. “Reporters, editors, and the media are essential to keeping democracies alive.”
The organization believes that “independent and quality journalism also leads to protecting human rights” and thus maintaining a vibrant society.
Carlos Dada assured in an interview with VOA that the conditions of pressure against journalism in Central America place it “in the worst moment”, and the Salvadoran case enumerated the conditions that have led many communicators to be persecuted.
During the event, special mention was made of imprisoned journalists such as the Guatemalan José Rubén Zamora, president of the newspaper, arrested in July of this year and who is still imprisoned in the Central American country.
The award ceremony concluded with a call to protect journalism, which in many regions works under threats or extreme danger, as explained by the young Ukrainian journalists upon receiving the recognition, also supported by a standing ovation from the audience.
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