Exiled Iraqi Kurdish journalist Niyaz Abdullah, renowned for her unwavering reporting on the Yazidis and her advocacy for the release of prisoners in Badinan, was honoured at the prestigious Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) International Press Freedom Awards in New York City on Thursday.
Unable to attend the event in person, Abdullah’s award was accepted on her behalf by Jason Rezaian of The Washington Post, who highlighted the challenges she has endured for criticising authorities in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Abdullah’s courageous work has shed light on the oppression faced by journalists and the risks they take in their pursuit of truth.
The CPJ International Press Freedom Awards event also honoured journalists who lost their lives in 2022 and showed solidarity with Iranian journalists who have been arrested while covering the women-led protests against the state.
The event also raised over two million dollars to support the CPJ’s mission of protecting press freedom globally. It underscored the urgent need to defend journalists’ rights and safety, given the escalating number of imprisoned journalists and the continued impunity for those who harm or kill them.
