NEWS CENTER - The "Most Resilient Journalist Award" organized by Free Press Unlimited was given to Dicle Müftüoğlu, the imprisoned Co-President of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association.

The winners of the "Free Press Awards 2023" organized by Free Press Unlimited have been announced. At a special event held in Nieuwspoort in The Hague, Netherlands, the journalists who received the Newcomer of the Year Award and the "Most Resilient Journalist Award" were announced.

AWARD TO MÜFTÜOĞLU

Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) Co-chair and Mezopotamya Agency (MA) Editor Dicle Müftüoğlu, who was detained and arrested within the scope of the Ankara-based investigation, was given the "Most Resilient Journalist Award". Her colleagues Aysel Avesta and Lydia Gottschalk received the award on Müftüoğlu's behalf.

The following was stated about Müftüoğlu: This year the most resilient journalist award is being presented to a journalist that cannot be with us because she spends her time in jail: Dicle Müftüoğlu. Dicle is currently imprisoned at the Sincan Women's Prison in Ankara, Turkey. Her colleague's Aysel Avesta and Lydia Gottschalk were there to accept the award on her behalf.

Apprehended by the authorities based on charges of extremism, simply because she and the news agency that she leads expose facts that the authorities prefer to hide. Moreover, the journalist union that Dicle founded defended the many incarcerated journalists in her country Turkey, especially when they are Kurds. She is now in jail herself and waiting for a trial. As a Kurdish woman journalist, Dicle has been facing judicial harassment for years. All over the world, journalists and media are subjected to growing judicial harassment. If media professionals, like Dicle, are unable to do their work without risking harm, they will be unable to provide reliable information to the public. This award comes with a cash prize of 10,000 euros, we sincerely hope this will serve Dicle's family and legal costs to get her out of jail.

We were honoured to receive a letter from Dicle, after receiving the nomination for the award.

LETTER FROM MÜFTÜOĞLU

The letter sent by Müftüoğlu was also read at the event. The following statements were included in the letter Müftüoğlu sent to the event: “I was nominated for the 'Most Resilient Journalist Award' organized by Free Press Unlimited, together with two of my valuable colleagues from Nigeria and Ecuador. I am honored to be nominated for such an award. Working as a journalist in a country like Turkey, where freedom of the press and expression is under heavy pressure, requires resistance. Otherwise, walking without resisting is nothing more than being the mouthpiece of the government, following the path shown by the government. My nomination from Turkey is, of course, because I am a practitioner and representative of my Kurdish identity and the Free Press tradition. Resisting Kurdish journalists in Turkey and Kurdistan are working by putting their lives and freedoms to reach the public with the truth. For more than thirty years, Kurdish journalists have persistently continued their profession despite countless obstacles. I am also a journalist who grew up at the Free Press school. I know that I am a candidate for such an award along with all journalists who fight for the truth. I would like to thank the jury who saw our struggle. The facts will not remain in the dark, the free press will not remain silent."

OTHER AWARD TO VENEZUELAN JOURNALIST

The winner of the "Newcomer of the Year Award" was Venezuelan journalist Holiancar Contreras.

The following was stated about Holiancar Contreras: “The winner of the Newcomer of the Year - Hans Verploeg Award, and a Scholarship of 1500 euros, is journalist Holiancar Contreras. Holiancar's colleague Ayrton Monsalve was present to accept the award on her behalf.

Holiancar currently operates in Táchira, a state in Venezuela bordering Colombia, with one of the biggest migratory fluxes. The frontier currently suffers from de facto control of various criminal groups who act in human trafficking, drug trafficking, and also extortion of locals. Holiancar writes about the experiences of those who live in this dangerous border area, and covers the difficulties people face with migrating to Colombia. The jury was shocked by the fact that she uncovered that migrants are forced to drink sulfurous water due to the fact that water canisters cost 100.000 Colombianos, 25 dollars, which no one can afford. By doing so, she gives visibility to the difficulties of the frontier inhabitants and sheds light in a truly media dark area that is absent from the world’s attention.

To support the future journalistic career of this very promising young journalist, Holiancar Contreras is awarded with the Newcomer of the Year Award of 2023.