Index on Censorship has been awarded the 2013 Hermann Kesten Prize by the PEN Center Germany.
The award was given in recognition of Index’s work fighting censorship around the world. In particular, the jury acknowledged Indexs lack of political bias during its 40 year history. Originally created to publish the untold stories of dissidents behind the Iron Curtain, Index has exposed free speech violations around the world, equally denouncing left and right wing dictatorships and fundamentalist regimes.
Index CEO Kirsty Hughes said: We are delighted to have won this award. It is wonderful that Indexs work defending freedom of expression has been recognised in this way. As the recent revelations about mass surveillance by the US and UK governments show, freedom of expression is a hugely important issue, affecting us all wherever we live.’
Index uses a unique combination of journalism, campaigning and advocacy to defend freedom of expression for those facing censorship and repression, including journalists, writers, social media users, bloggers, artists, politicians, scientists, academics, activists and citizens.
The PEN Center Germany is one of over 140 world associations of writers that make up PEN international. The 10,000 euro prize is funded in by German PEN and the Hesse Ministry for Science and Art.
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