CPJ announces press oppressors' awards amid Trump's fake news awards

9 Jan 2018

After US President Donald Trump announced his "fake media" awards on Twitter, the Committee to Protect Journalists decided to name its global press oppressors - world leaders who use rhetoric, legal action, and censorship to try and silence their critics.

CPJ announces press oppressors' awards amid Trump's fake news awards

I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 o’clock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018

The list features leaders from China, Egypt, Myanmar, Poland, Russia, Turkey, and the United States who have gone out of their way to attack the press and undermine the norms that support freedom of the media at a time when a record number of journalists are being jailed for their work.

“It’s staggering to see the extent to which some world leaders are so fearful of their critics and the truth,” said CPJ advocacy director Courtney Radsch, from Washington, DC. “At a time when the number of journalists in prison globally is at a record high the failure of President Donald Trump and other leaders to stand up for press freedom risks weakening democracy and human rights.”

The Global Press Oppressors list includes four categories as well as an award for the Overall Achievement in Undermining Global Press Freedom.