Special Award for Journalism Under Threat

This award pays tribute to the courage of journalists around the world who pursue their legitimate journalistic work at great personal risk. The Special Award brings international recognition for such individual journalists and draws attention to the dangers they face.

This year's Special Award for Journalism Under Threat was awarded to Eynulla Fәtullayev, from Azerbaijan. Read the press release in English and Russian.

John Mulholland accepted the award on Eynulla's behalf and read about an acceptance speech from Enyulla's father Emin. Read the speech (PDF)

Eynulla Fətullayev

Eynulla Fәtullayev, 32, has a record of outspoken journalism. He has been beaten, threatened and sued for libel because of his work as a journalist. In 2007 he received death threats after reporting that high-ranking officials had ordered a criminal gang to kill his Editor, Elmar Hüseynov.

Finally, on 20 April 2007, he was arrested and charged with libel. He is currently serving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence imposed after his conviction.

As Eynulla was unable to be there to collect his award, those that could be there sent him their messages of support. Act now for Eynulla

Ebrima B. Manneh: Specially Recognised

Ebrima B. Manneh was arrested in July 2006 by plainclothes police at the offices of the Daily Observer, a pro-government newspaper in the Gambia. He has been held incommunicado and without trial ever since, although a West African regional court has ruled that he should be freed. Act now

Pablo Pacheco Avila: Specially Recognised

Pablo Pacheco Avila was arrested in 2003 and sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment during a crackdown on the dissident movement in Cuba. He works for an unofficial news agency, Avileña Cooperative of Journalists and had been subjected to harassment in the past. Act now