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This year’s Nobel Peace Prize goes to Maria Ressa and her news website Rappler in the Philippines and Dimitrij Muratov editor-in-chief of Novaja Gazeta in Russia. This is important and timely, says Senior Professor Peter Wallensteen, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University. Freedom of the media is now, as stated by the President of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Berit Reiss-Andersen, challenged all over the world. The committee highlights this by choosing two particularly significant examples in very dissimilar situations, both developing in authoritarian directions. The prize hopefully strengthens the possibilities of the two journalists and their colleagues to continue to work according to the high editorial standards they have set for themselves – and that genuine news coverage requires.

From a peace perspective, accurate and reliable news coverage is central for assessing the dangers of war, civil war and repression, as well as for peace negotiations and making the right decisions.  In a world full of fabricated news it is particularly important to protect independent reporting.

This year’s prize expands on Nobel’s idea of giving the prize to efforts contributing to “fraternity among nations”. Media now has a different significance than in 1901 when the first prize was awarded. Correct, autonomous reporting is always central for peace and security within and among nations, according to Professor Wallensteen