The journalists Maria Ressa from the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov from Russia were honored for their brave efforts to defend freedom of expression, a crucial element for democracy and peace. The Nobel committee praised them as representatives of all journalists who fight for this principle in a world where democracy and press freedom are facing increasingly difficult challenges. Ressa, a Fulbright scholar and Time magazine Person of the Year in 2018, has been a vocal critic of her country's authoritarian president Rodrigo Duterte. Through her media company Rappler, she has exposed government corruption, investigated political figures' financial holdings and conflicts of interest, and reported on the violent anti-drug campaign of the Duterte government, which the committee likened to a war against the Filipino population. Ressa and Rappler have also uncovered how social media is being used to disseminate false information, intimidate opponents, and control public conversations. Ressa, only the 18th woman to receive the Peace Prize in its 120-year history, expressed her gratitude on Rappler's Facebook Live platform, hoping the award would highlight the challenges faced by journalists today. She dedicated the award to Rappler, emphasizing the importance of continuing the fight for truth. Muratov, who has championed free speech in Russia for many years, has faced increasing obstacles in his work. Following the announcement of the award, the Kremlin intensified its crackdown on critics, branding nine journalists and activists as "foreign agents." Despite facing ongoing harassment, threats, violence, and even killings, Muratov has remained the editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, an independent newspaper he co-founded in 1993. Since the beginning, six journalists from the newspaper have been killed, as noted by the committee, who referenced Anna Politkovskaya's work on the war in Chechnya. Despite the murders and threats, editor-in-chief Muratov has stood firm in the newspaper's commitment to independent journalism. He has consistently supported journalists' right to report freely, as long as they adhere to professional and ethical standards. Many Russian dissidents had hoped for the award to go to Alexei Navalny, the imprisoned opposition leader, and were disappointed when he was not selected. Muratov expressed surprise at receiving the award, stating that he would have chosen Navalny as well. He mentioned that he missed calls from Norway before being informed by his press secretary about the announcement. He mentioned that he would give a portion of the prize money to support the fight against spinal muscular atrophy, a cause he has long supported, as well as to help journalism resist pressure from Russian authorities. Muratov stated in a radio interview that the battle against the media is actually a battle against the people. This year marked only the third instance in the 120-year history of the prize where journalists were recognized for their efforts towards peace. Ernesto Moneta, an Italian newspaper editor and peace movement leader, received the award in 1907. Carl von Ossietzky, a German journalist, pacifist, and critic of Nazism who was imprisoned by Hitler, was the recipient of the prize in 1935. The Nobel committee selected from a pool of 329 candidates, which was one of the largest ever considered. Among the favorites were climate-change activists, political dissidents, and scientists who contributed to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee emphasized the importance of free and independent journalism in combating abuse of power, misinformation, and war propaganda. They stated that without freedom of expression and press, it would be challenging to achieve global unity, disarmament, and a more positive world order.