The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) has honoured an Ethiopian publisher for her courage and a Zimbabwean reporter for her achievements in journalism over a period of 35 years.
The IWMF announced in Washington, DC today that Serkalem Fasil, former co-owner and publisher of the weekly Ethiopian newspapers Asqual, Menilik and Satenaw, was among the winners of its 2007 Courage in Journalism Award.
Fasil was one of a number of editors and reporters arrested after publishing material critical of the Ethiopian government during parliamentary elections in 2005.
“The journalists were accused of genocide and treason, charges that could bring life imprisonment or the death penalty,” the IWMF noted. “While in jail, Fasil gave birth to and cared for a son, who was premature and underweight due to inhumane conditions and lack of proper medical attention.” She was released only in April this year.
The IWMF also said it would present a “Lifetime Achievement Award” to Peta Thornycroft, a Zimbabwean journalist who has fought for freedom of expression over a career of service to journalism both in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Thornycroft renounced her entitlement to British citizenship after the Zimbabwean government decreed that journalists working in the country had to be citizens.
IWMF recorded: “Thornycroft has been accused of terrorism and barred from court proceedings, and in 2002 she was arrested while investigating reports of a campaign against members of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. At the same time, she has led journalism training initiatives benefiting thousands of southern African journalists.”
Other recipients of the Courage in Journalism Awards were Lydia Cacho, a Mexican journalist who travels with guards because of threats to her life, and six Iraqi reporters who risk their lives to cover the war in their country: Shatha al Awsy, Zaineb Obeid, Huda Ahmed, Ban Adil Sarhan, Alaa Majeed and Sahar Issa.
Judy Woodruff, chair of the IWMF Courage in Journalism Awards, said the winners of the awards for courage had shown dedication and bravery: “They tell tough stories that need to be told, and in doing so, help defend freedom of the press.”
