CJFE Honours Journalists at International Press Freedom Awards Gala

Unsolved murders of journalists around the world focus of the 12th annual event

TORONTO, Dec. 3 /CNW/ - On Dec 9, 2009, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) will honour two journalists and the staff of a newspaper for their immense courage and commitment to freedom of expression at the 12th annual International Press Freedom Awards gala.

So far this year 93 journalists have died in connection to their reporting work. On November 23, 2009, 31 journalists were killed in Maguindanao in the southern Philippines, in the worst massacre of journalists in history. And here at home, four prominent Canadian journalists' murders remain unsolved.

Proceeds from the gala go to support legal defence work in Canada, advocacy and promotion of free expression rights in Canada and around the globe, and CJFE's Journalists in Distress Fund, which has disbursed more than $170,000 in grants to persecuted journalists in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.

    
    WHO: International Press Freedom Award Winners
         -  Jila Baniyaghoub, Iranian writer for Gazeta Kanoon Zanan Irani
            (Focus on Iranian Women) and contributor to Iranian newspaper
            Sarmayeh, Baniyaghoub has been beaten, arrested and imprisoned
            several times over the span of her career.
         -  Novaya Gazeta, one of the only independent news outlets in
            Russia. It has gained international attention due to the murders
            of four of its journalists and its fearless and influential
            reporting on critical issues. Novaya Gazeta's journalists
            frequently investigate and publish articles that are critical of
            the state, unearth corruption and expose human rights abuses.
            Dmitry Muratov, the Editor-in-Chief of Novaya Gazeta will accept
            the award.
         Tara Singh Hayer Award Winner
         -  Terry Gould, award-winning freelance investigative journalist and
            author of "Murder without Borders: Dying for the Story in the
            World's Most Dangerous Places". In order to interview the family
            and colleagues of journalists who had died in their attempts to
            report the truth, Gould travelled to some of the world's most
            dangerous countries for journalists.

    WHEN:   Wednesday, December 9, 2009
            Media registration           6:00 p.m.
            Program & Dinner             7:00 p.m.

    WHERE:  Fairmont Royal York Hotel
            100 Front Street West (between Bay Street and York Street)
            Toronto
    

About Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is an association of more than 300 journalists, editors, publishers, producers, students and others who work to promote and defend free expression and press freedom in Canada and around the world. CJFE has a history of work on cases pertaining to media law and freedom of expression.

Full biographies can be found at http://www.cjfe.org/awards06/about.html.

For further information: or to request interviews and images, please contact: Charmaine Khan, Allison Stokes, Media Profile, [phone], [email protected], [email protected]