The journalists Maria Ressa from the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov from Russia were honored for their bravery in defending freedom of expression, a crucial element for democracy and peace. The committee recognized them as representatives of all journalists who uphold this ideal, especially in a world where democracy and press freedom are under threat. Maria 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 work with Rappler, an investigative journalism company. Rappler has uncovered government corruption, investigated the financial interests of political leaders, and shed light on the violent anti-drug campaign in the Philippines. The committee noted the high number of deaths in the campaign, describing it as a war against the country's own citizens. Ressa and Rappler have also reported on how social media is used to spread fake news, harass opponents, and manipulate public discourse. Ressa, only the 18th woman to win the Peace Prize in its 120-year history, expressed gratitude for the recognition on Rappler's Facebook Live platform, acknowledging the challenges faced by journalists today. Muratov, who has defended freedom of speech in Russia for decades, faced increased pressure from the Kremlin following news of the award, with nine journalists and activists labeled as "foreign agents." Despite facing harassment, threats, and violence, Muratov has continued to lead independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, which he co-founded in 1993. Since the beginning, the newspaper has faced tragic losses with six journalists being killed, including Anna Politkovskaya who wrote about the Chechnya war. Despite these challenges, editor-in-chief Muratov has remained steadfast in upholding the newspaper's independent stance. He has consistently supported journalists' rights to write freely while adhering to professional and ethical standards. While many were hoping for opposition leader Alexei Navalny to win the prize, Muratov expressed surprise at receiving it and stated that he would have given it to Navalny. He received a last-minute heads-up about the announcement after ignoring calls from Norway due to being engaged in a discussion with one of his journalists. He mentioned that he planned to donate a portion of the prize money to support the fight against spinal muscular atrophy, a cause he has long supported, and to help journalism resist pressure from Russian authorities. Muratov stated in a radio interview on Friday that the battle against the media is ultimately a battle against the people. This marked only the third instance in the 120-year history of the award when journalists were recognized for their efforts towards peace. The previous winners were Ernesto Moneta in 1907, an Italian newspaper editor and peace movement leader, and Carl von Ossietzky in 1935, a German journalist, pacifist, and anti-Nazi activist who was imprisoned by Hitler. 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 preventing abuse of power, spreading lies, and promoting peace. They stated that without freedom of expression and the press, it would be challenging to achieve global unity, disarmament, and a better world order.