FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AWARDS

ABOUT THE AWARDS

Index on Censorship’s Freedom of Expression Awards celebrate those who have had significant impact fighting censorship anywhere in the world.

There are four categories: Arts, Campaigning, Journalism and the Trustee award. Winners are honoured at a gala celebration in London and receive financial support.

READ ABOUT THE 2023 WINNERS AND WATCH THEIR ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES HERE

The panel of judges for the 2023 Freedom of Expression Awards was Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov, Executive Editor and Culture Editor of The Sunday Times Ben Preston, Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, one of Britain's most distinguished lawyers, and Sir Trevor Phillips, the co-founder of the data analytics consultancy Webber Phillips and Index chair.

The 23rd Annual Freedom of Expression Awards were held on Thursday 19 October 2023 in London.

Click here to find out more about previous winners.

The 2023 Freedom of Expression Awards winners were announced at a ceremony in London. This special event seeks to celebrate free expression activists and champions. Actor Colin Firth attended the ceremony and accepted the Trustee Award on behalf of Sir Salman Rushdie.

Comedian Nish Kumar hosts the 2019 Freedom of Expression Awards (Photo: Elina Kansikas for Index on Censorship)
"The Freedom of Expression Awards are a chance to recognise the astonishing work being done under incredibly difficult circumstances by artists, journalists and campaigners around the world. These people risk everything in their quest for justice and a fairer world and they deserve our attention, recognition and help. The awards bring their stories to light, honour their courageous actions, and highlight how important it is to protect freedom of expression more broadly. This year's nominees are fantastic and I'm excited to reveal their names with you shortly."
Jemimah Steinfeld

CEO, Index on Censorship

SPONSORSHIP

There are many ways you can sponsor the Awards, and support not only the winners but all the work Index does. Please contact Anna Millward at [email protected] for more information.

READ MORE ON THE AWARDS

Social sex entrepreneur, artist and top journalist to judge Freedom of Expression Awards

by | 10 Jan 20 | About Index, Awards, Awards Update, News and features, Press Releases | 0 Comments

The awards honour champions of free expression and those battling censorship around the world in the field of arts, campaigning, digital activism and journalism.

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This Week at Index: Judges announced for 2020 Freedom of Expression Awards

by | 10 Jan 20 | About Index, Awards, Awards Update, This Week | 0 Comments

Index on Censorship is proud to announce three new judges for its 2020 Freedom of Expression Awards. These are New York-based artist Molly Crabapple, award-winning Guardian journalist Amelia Gentleman and Cindy Gallop, founder of social sex video platform MakeLoveNotPorn.

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Zehra Dogan: I became more widely known after winning the Index Freedom of Expression Award

by | 07 Nov 19 | Awards, Awards Update, Fellowship, Fellowship 2019, News and features | 0 Comments

We caught up with Dogan to find out what she has been working on since winning the Index on Censorship award.

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Mimi Mefo: The voiceless in my country need me and I have to keep writing

by | 24 Oct 19 | Awards, Awards Update, Fellowship, Fellowship 2019, News and features | 0 Comments

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Winner of the 2019 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Journalism Award, the Berlin-based Cameroonian journalist Mimi Mefo was one of less than a handful of reporters working without fear or favour in Cameroon’s climate of...
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Fundación Karisma: The tension around free speech and social media is one of the big issues of our time

by | 18 Oct 19 | Awards, Awards Update, Fellowship 2019, News and features | 0 Comments

We caught up with Carolina Botero Cabrera, executive director of Fundación Karisma, to find out what the organisation has been working on since winning the Index award in April

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Cartoonists Rights Network International continues to monitor the loss of cartoonists from media outlets around the world

by | 09 Aug 19 | Artistic Freedom, Awards, Awards Update, Fellowship 2019, News and features | 0 Comments

Since winning the 2019 Index Award for Campaigning, CRNI has been monitoring the situation with Badiucao, a Chinese dissident cartoonist living in exile in Australia

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Podcast: Freedom of Expression Awards 2019 Winners’ Roundtable

by | 15 Apr 19 | Americas, Awards, Awards Update, Cameroon, Colombia, Europe and Central Asia, Fellowship, Fellowship 2019, Middle East and North Africa, News and features, Turkey, United Kingdom | 0 Comments

A special edition of the Index on Censorship podcast celebrating the winners of the Freedom of Expression Awards 2019.

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Wendy Funes: Despite the pain that violence has left in Honduras it is wonderful to see a world with so much solidarity

by | 01 Apr 19 | Awards, Awards Update, Fellowship, Fellowship 2018, News and features | 0 Comments

“Despite my fears and the pain that violence has left in my country, it has been wonderful to see that it has been worthwhile to dream in a world with so much solidarity”

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Kurdish artist Zehra Doğan released from Turkish prison

by | 24 Feb 19 | Awards, Awards Update, Fellowship 2019, News and features | 0 Comments

Index on Censorship welcomes the release of 2019 Freedom of Expression Arts Award nominee

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Fellowship Update: An important element of Index’s work

by | 18 Jan 19 | Awards Update, Fellowship, Fellowship 2018, News and features | 0 Comments

The Index Awards Fellowship has become an important element of Index on Censorship’s work

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Museum of Dissidence: We must sacrifice ourselves if we want to achieve freedom in Cuba

by | 11 Jan 19 | Awards, Awards Update, Fellowship, Fellowship 2018, News and features | 0 Comments

Artistic freedom is under attack in Cuba, but artists are fighting back.

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ECRF: As long as there are people defending human rights in Egypt, there is hope

by | 09 Jan 19 | Awards, Awards Update, Egypt, Fellowship, Fellowship 2018, Middle East and North Africa, News and features | 0 Comments

The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, winner of the 2018 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Award for Campaigning, is one of the few remaining human rights organisations in Egypt

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