The International Press Institute(IPI) and IMS have named Mexican investigative journalist, Carmen Aristegui as the recipient of the 2023 World Press Freedom Hero award, scheduled to hold on May 25, 2023, in Vienna as part of the institute annual World Congress.
Penpushing reports that the award honours Aristegui’s decades of fearless reporting on corruption in Mexico regardless of the government in power, and her unyielding commitment to critical journalism in the face of targeted efforts to silence her.
The journalist for her vigorous watchdog journalism, has been subject to a range of abuses at the hands of the Mexican state and other powerful actors, including smear campaigns and politically motivated firings.
Penpushing further reports that a statement by the institute said she and her family were illegally targeted with Pegasus surveillance beginning in 2015, in one of the first known uses of the powerful spyware against journalists.
The fearless journalist despite working under threat in one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalism, has never wavered from her journalistic mission, and her fortitude has gained her widespread respect and inspired a generation as a prominent female investigative reporter in Mexico’s male-dominated media industry.
Penpushing also reports that a statement noted that in a country where polarized political discourse and misinformation are on the rise, and where a journalist or media outlet is attacked every 13 hours, independent journalism, such as the kind that Aristegui practises and represents, is not only necessary but also a key element of democracy.
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