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CJFE honours Gambia, Ukraine journalists with press freedom awards



Country/Topic: International
Date: 20 September 2005
Source: Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)
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Urgency: Bulletin
(CJFE/IFEX) - The following is a CJFE press release:


Gambia, Ukraine Journalists Picked for Press Freedom Award

Seymour Hersh headlines Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Gala

TORONTO, ON - Tuesday, September 20, 2005 - Canadian Journalists for Free
Expression (CJFE) has selected two outstanding journalists to be honoured
at its 8th Annual International Press Freedom Awards gala for outstanding
contribution to freedom of expression.

CJFE's 8th Annual International Press Freedom Awards will be held at the
Arcadian Court in Toronto on November 1, 2005. This year will welcome
guest speaker Seymour Hersh, the controversial investigative journalist
who broke the My Lai massacre story in Vietnam, and more recently captured
the spotlight with his stories on the Abu Ghraib scandal in Iraq.

Award winners Mykola Veresen of Ukraine and Alagi Yorro Jallow of Gambia
were selected from an exceptional group of nominees, the largest list of
submissions CJFE has considered in recent years. The selection committee
-- senior journalists Carol Off, Joe Schlesinger, Paul Knox and Sally
Armstrong -- received nominations from Syria, Colombia, DRC, Sierra Leone,
Zimbabwe, Spain and Uzbekistan in addition to the two nominees.

"The selection committee was impressed by all the submissions," said Rod
Macdonell, CJFE's Executive Director. "In the end, Mykola Veresen's and
Alagi Yorro Jallow's cases exemplified true fighters for freedom of the
press. Their courageous work in the face of great adversity has
demonstrated an exceptional commitment to free expression. We look forward
to honouring them here in Toronto."

About the nominees:

- Mykola Veresen is a veteran journalist and respected television
broadcaster in the Ukraine. He was known as one of the founders of Charter
4, a Kiev-based non-profit group with the goal of engaging the media in
monitoring and managing projects that support a civil society in Ukraine.
He was the anchor at Channel 5 during the Orange Revolution and became,
for many, the voice and face of the Revolution. He was nominated by a
private citizen.

- Alagi Yorro Jallow, Managing Editor of The Independent in Gambia, was
chosen for his uncompromising and fearless efforts to promote press
freedom in Gambia, despite numerous obstacles. CJFE's selection committee
was overwhelmed by his ceaseless commitment to uphold and promote press
freedom in the Gambia. Mr. Jallow was nominated by World Association of
Newspapers.

Both journalists are expected to attend the gala ceremonies to be
recognized and honoured for their efforts.

About CJFE:

CJFE is an association of more than 300 journalists, editors, producers,
publishers, broadcasters, students and others who work to promote and
defend free expression and press freedom in Canada and around the world.
Proceeds from the annual awards dinner help protect free expression in
Canada, and support embattled journalists around the world.

MORE INFORMATION:



For further information, contact Susanne Gossage at Media Profile, tel:
416-504-8464, e-mail: [log in to unmask]; or Rod Macdonell,
Executive Director, CJFE, 489 College Street, Suite 403, Toronto, Ontario
M6G 1A5 Canada, tel: +1 416 515 9622, fax: +1 416 515 7879, e-mail:
[log in to unmask] @cjfe.org, Internet: http://www.cjfe.org

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