Index on Censorship today announces the shortlist for the 2009 Freedom of Expression Awards.
The awards, presented in association with the Economist, the Guardian, Bindmans and the Robert Gavron Trust, honour those who have furthered the cause of freedom of expression and battled censorship around the world.
Prizes are awarded in five categories: books, film, journalism, and law and campaigning.
Previous winners include Arat Dink, Anna Politkovskaya and Edward Said.
This year’s shortlist includes Sri Lanka’s Sunday Leader newspaper, Ma Jian’s novel Beijing Coma, and Steve McQueen’s film, Hunger.
The awards will be presented on 21 April at Kings Place, London. The ceremony will be hosted by Index on Censorship Chair Jonathan Dimbleby, with a keynote speech by Sir David Hare.
Index on Censorship Chief Executive John Kampfner commented: ‘The Freedom of Expression Awards focus attention on activists, writers and film makers around the world who actively promote free expression, often in the most difficult circumstances. Index on Censorship is delighted to recognise their efforts at this increasingly high-profile annual event.’
To book your tickets for the awards show, and to learn more about the nominees, go to http://awards.indexoncensorship.org
The full short lists for 2009 are:
The T R Fyvel Book Award nominees are:
Rebel’s Hour by Lieve Joris (Atlantic Books)
Bejing Coma by Ma Jian (Chatto and Windus)
Human Smoke by Nicholson Baker (Simon and Schuster)
A Field Guide for Female Interrogators by Coco Fusco (Seven Stories Press)
The Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award nominees are:
Gamal Eid, Egyptian human rights champion and regional campaigner for freedom of expression.
Harrison Nkomo, a human rights lawyer defending journalists in Zimbabwe.
Harry Roque, a campaigner for human rights and media freedom in the Philippines.
Malak Imtiaz, a human rights lawyer and activist and the current president of the National Human Rights Society (HAKAM) of Malaysia.
The Index on Censorship Film Award nominees are:
Hunger, Dir. Steve McQueen (Pathe).
The Devil Came on Horseback, Dir. Ricki Stern (Dogwoof).
Terror’s Advocate, Dir. Barbet Schroeder (Artificial Eye).
On the Verge, directed and distributed by SchMovies.
The Guardian Journalism Award nominees are:
The Sunday Leader, a platform for some of Sri Lanka’s most outspoken journalism despite its editor’s assassination.
Sanjuana Martinez, an award-winning freelance journalist investigating and exposing corruption in Mexico.
Tamer Almisshal, the youngest reporter for the Arabic television network, Al Jazeera, who reported from the recent invasion and bombardment of Gaza.
Sakit and Genimet Zakhidov, who are both serving prison sentences for their dedication to freedom of speech after writing articles and poetry critical of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian government.
The Economist New Media Award nominees are:
Global Voices Advocacy, an international network for bloggers and activists.
Psiphon, a computer programme and network created to circumvent censorship, Canada.
Hossein ‘Hodder’ Derakhshan an Iranian blogger.
Mizzima, a Burmese-exile run news website.
