Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov Win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Two journalists have won the Nobel Peace Prize. Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov received the honor for their long standing efforts to safeguard freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia. Ressa is the CEO of Rappler and Muratov heads the independent Russian newspaper ‘Novaya Gazeta’. Both journalists have faced legal and physical threats during their careers.

Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Berit Reiss-Andersen said the pair represent “all journalists who stand up for this ideal in a world in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse conditions.” Ressa is the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize this year. The awards in medicine, physics, chemistry and literature were also given out earlier this week. Previous winners include Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr, Mikhail Gorbachev and four US Presidents.