The External Managing Director of Transparency International, Cobus de Swardt, said "Journalists play an important role in showing that the corrupt cannot get away with their crimes. It’s no time to be incarcerating the messengers.” Thomas Bruning from the Dutch Journalist Association supported Ornstein arguing that "A 20 month prison sentence over a series of blog posts is against the fundamental principles of freedom of speech and freedom of expression, principles that are acknowledged as fundamental rights world wide." The International Federation of Journalists wrote "The substantive aspects of the case show that there is no ground for the criminal prosecution of Ornstein." Okke Ornstein has won a number of awards for his work in journalism. The first was the Prix Europa in 2013 for a radio investigation piece regarding the environmental impact of a hydroelectric dam in Panama. Ornstein was nominated for the Tegel Award in 2015 for a radio documentary about refugees. Ornstein has also won the Prix Iris for his documentary series "Urbania."