Indian Journalist Rana Ayyub honoured with 2024 International Press Freedom Award

TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is proud to announce the recipient of one of two prestigious 2024 International Press Freedom Awards: Rana Ayyub, an investigative journalist from India and a Global Opinions Writer at The Washington Post. She is being recognized for her reporting that holds governments to account while staunchly defending press freedom.

Ayyub established her reputation for courageous reporting when she went undercover in 2010, to investigate the government's involvement in communal violence – defined as violence based on religion or race. Since then, she has contributed to a wide range of Indian and international publications, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic and Foreign Policy where she has filed news and investigative reports about the persecution of minorities and state sanctioned violence and communal politics. In 2016, she published the best-selling book, Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a Cover-up.

Ayyub's political exposés have provoked an unrelenting backlash from the Modi government. The International Centre for Journalists has described Ayyub as one of the most abused and trolled reporters in India, while a United Nations special rapporteur has called on India's government to halt "relentless misogynistic and sectarian attacks" against her.

"I am honored to receive this award from the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, and I dedicate it to the unsung journalists in Gaza who are risking their lives to bear witness and tell stories that the world needs to hear. This award is also a shot in the arm for journalists in India who are fighting for their independence that is under relentless attack from the powers that rule us," said Ayyub.

"CJFE is proud to recognize Rana Ayyub's fearless efforts to speak truth to power," said Carol Off, CJFE Gala Chair. "As a journalist, she works tirelessly to reveal the excesses of Narendra Modi's government while the government works tirelessly to intimidate her and shut down her journalism. We once celebrated India as the world's largest democracy. Now, World Press Freedom rates India 159 out of 180 countries on its index." 

Ayyub will attend the CJFE Gala: A Night to Celebrate Courage in Journalism, where she will accept the award, presented on October 23 in Toronto. The gala will be attended by some of Canada's leading journalists and media organizations.

About CJFE

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression defends free expression and those with the courage to seek and report the truth. CJFE has deep roots in journalism. For more than 40 years, we have championed free media and the role it plays in creating a just and equitable society. Our organization supports and upholds the rights of all global citizens to hold leaders to account, to ask hard questions, and to use their voices to speak the truth.

Our thanks to Cision for sponsoring this announcement.

SOURCE Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

For further information, please contact: Amanda Panacci, Media Profile, m: [phone], [email protected]