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.

The 24th annual Freedom of Expression Awards will be held on Wednesday 20 November 2024 in London. This special event seeks to celebrate free expression activists and champions.

MEET THE 2024 WINNERS

Aleksandra Skochilenko

Arts category winner

Skochilenko was arrested on 11 April 2022 for participating in anti-war protests against the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine including writing, producing, and publicly performing an anti-war song. After spending 19 months in pre-trial detention, in November 2023 Skochilenko was charged under Article 207.3 of Russia’s Criminal Code and sentenced to seven years in prison. In August 2024, she was released in a prisoner swap. READ MORE

Diala Ayesh

Campaigning category winner

Diala Ayesh is a Palestinian human rights defender and lawyer, who has advocated for the freedom and fair treatment of political prisoners. Since 2018, she has monitored the suppression, arrest, or persecution of those exercising their human rights and also represented many of those who have been targeted. On 17 January 2024, Israeli military forces arrested Ayesh at a military checkpoint in the West Bank. According to her lawyers, she has been subjected to assault, threats, and insults by Israeli soldiers during her arrest. READ MORE

Kuchu Times

Campaigning category winner

Kuchu Times is a media platform created for and by LGBTQ Ugandans. It was created as a reaction to the state’s anti-LGBTQ laws and the use of homophobia and hate by the state’s supporters towards the LGBTQ community. Its work focuses on ensuring that LGBTQ Ugandans have access to information that speaks to their needs, that there is a diverse representation and visibility of their reality and that those seeking knowledge on the LGBTQ+ Ugandan movement and community can access verifiable information. READ MORE

Nasim Soltanbeygi

Journalism category winner

As a journalist for over 15 years, Soltanbeygi has focused on politics, women’s rights and social issues for Iranian journals, newspapers, and news agencies. During the  “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, Soltanbeygi contacted foreign journalists to ensure the story of the protests and the clampdown reached international audiences. In July 2023, Nasim was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison on the charge of “gathering and colluding against national security” and eight months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the state”. She was released after four months for medical reasons. READ MORE

Evgenia Kara-Murza

Trustees award winner

Evgenia Kara-Murza is Advocacy Director of Free Russia Foundation, activist, translator and wife of political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza, twice-poisoned Russian opposition leader, imprisoned on 11 April 2022 for protesting Russia’s war on Ukraine. For more than two years, Kara-Murza travelled the world, leading a campaign to speak out against her husband’s arrest and criticise Putin’s regime. As a result of her campaign, on 1 August 2024, Vladimir Kara-Murza was released from prison as part of a prisoner exchange deal. READ MORE

MEET THE 2024 NOMINEES

Find out about the nominees in each category by clicking on the panels below. Click here to find out more about winners in previous years.

Journalism award shortlist

MEET THE JUDGES

MEET LAST YEAR'S WINNERS

Hear about the 2023 winners of the Freedom of Expression Awards below. Actor Colin Firth attended the ceremony and accepted the Trustee Award on behalf of Sir Salman Rushdie. Click here to find out more about winners in previous years.

Trustee Award

Sir Salman Rushdie

THE FELLOWSHIP

The Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship exists to celebrate individuals or groups who have had a significant impact fighting censorship anywhere in the world. Through the fellowship, Index works with the winners to provide tailored support.

Previous winners include Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, world renowned Ukrainian author and public intellectual Andrey Kurkov, courageous Honduran investigative journalist Wendy Funes who uncovers corruption and covers the ongoing violations of women’s rights in the country, and anonymous Chinese digital activists GreatFire who have secured significant additional funding since their award.

Click here to find out more about previous winners.

By donating to the Freedom of Expression Awards you help us support individuals and groups at the forefront of tackling censorship.

The 2024 Freedom of Expression Awards are sponsored by New Generation Europe, The Times and Sunday Times (News UK) and the Hollick Family Foundation.

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.