Ahead of World Press Freedom Day 2014 (3 May), international NGO Reporters Without Borders has published a list of profiles of “100 information heroes” that includes nine journalists from Southeast Asia
Reporters Without Borders, the France-based international NGO that promotes and defends freedom of information and freedom of the press has released profiles 100 journalists it believes deserve publicity for their “courageous” work. This list includes journalists from Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam.
“Through their courageous work or activism, these ‘100 heroes’ help to promote the freedom enshrined in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the freedom to “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” They put their ideals in the service of the common good. They serve as examples,” the organisation wrote in the introduction.
“This obviously non-exhaustive list pays homage not only to the 100 famous and less well known people on it, but also to all the professional and non-professional journalists who constantly help to shed light on the world and cover every aspect of its reality. This initiative aims to show that the fight for freedom of information requires not only active support for the victims of abuses but also the promotion of those who can serve as models,” the organisation added.
The full list can be accessed here.
Keep reading:
“Holy activism” – “A bundle of sticks can’t be broken,” according to an old Cambodian proverb. It is a philosophy that underpins a network of media-savvy monks who defy the authorities by speaking out against social injustice
“Pushing the boundaries” – A young Cambodian woman harnesses social media