Friday, 17 April 2020

20th Freedom of Expression Award winners announced in a ceremony for our times

A Russian artist currently under house arrest for her work on gender and sexual equality and one of the first free investigative journalism and fact-checking websites in Poland are among the winners of the 2020 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards. The winners, who were announced this week on Twitter as part of a digital gala hosted by BBC presenter Timandra Harkness, also include a prominent lawyer fighting for the release of activists and journalists unlawfully detained in Turkey, a Bahraini activist living in exile in the UK and an Arab non-profit promoting digital rights of Palestinians.

"The winners of the Index 2020 awards are amazing people who do amazing things, overcoming incredible challenges in difficult times. They fight for freedom of expression when others can’t,” said Rachael Jolley and Matt Townsend from Index on Censorship.

“It was a highly unusual ceremony this year. We were forced to move online at the last minute, but it has meant that people from across the globe can join us today in noting the work that our winners 7amleh, Veysel Ok, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Yulia Tsvetkova and OKO Press have done,” they added.

Watch speeches from the awards

The 20th Awards	Arts - Yulia Tsvetkova	Campaigning - Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei

Campaigning - Veysel Ok	Digital activism - 7amleh	Journalism - OKO Press

Bid for Timandra's mirror ball

Our award winners all become members of the 2020 Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship. This celebrates individuals or groups who have had a significant impact fighting censorship anywhere in the world. Index works with the winners to provide longer-term assistance to help fellows maximise their impact and broaden their networks.

Writer, comedian and presenter Timandra Harkness, our host for the 20th Freedom of Expression Awards, has very kindly donated the mirrorball she used as a prop during the live online awards ceremony this week as an auction prize. If you would like to make a bid for the ball - and help support our Fellowship - send us your bid or just donate using the link below.

Donate to Index on Censorship

Sage Publishing, which publishes Index on Censorship, has created a free microsite on medical science research on Covid-19 and managing pandemics, and is prioritising publishing open access research on the current pandemic.

Index on Censorship defends people's freedom to express themselves without fear of harm or persecution. We publish censored writers and artists, monitor and campaign against censorship, and encourage debate.

We rely on donations from readers and supporters. By donating to Index you help us to protect freedom of expression and to support those who are denied that right.