Journalist from Ukraine receives International Press Freedom Award (11/27/05)

Journalist from Ukraine receives International Press Freedom Award

by Oksana Zakydalsky

TORONTO - Canadian Journalists for Free Expression selected two journalists to be honored at their eighth Annual International Press Freedom Awards gala for outstanding contributions to the freedom of expression.

The 2005 Award winners were Mykola Veresen of Ukraine and Alagi Yorro Jallow of Gambia. They were selected by senior journalist and broadcaster Carol Off (who was the reporter on the controversial CBC program on the Orange Revolution - "Anatomy of a Revolution" - aired in February); CBC Senior Foreign Correspondent Joe Schlesinger; the head of Ryerson University's School of Journalism, Paul Knox; and documentary filmmaker, teacher and author Sally Armstrong. The list of nominees also included journalists from Syria, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Spain and Uzbekistan.

Rod Macdonell, CJFE's executive director, said that, "In the end, Mykola Veresen's and Alaqi 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."

It is worth noting that CJFE's press announcement of the award included the information that "The [sic] Ukraine has been a dangerous country in which to be a journalist in recent years. In 2004, 20 journalists were arrested and more than 30 were physically attacked. In the past 10 years, four journalists have been murdered in Ukraine."

The awards gala, held on November 1 in Toronto featured as guest speaker, American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, who recently captured the spotlight with his stories on the Abu Ghraib scandal in Iraq and 30 years ago broke the My Lai massacre story in Vietnam.

The fund-raising event attracted distinguished guests such as former Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson, Minister of Defense Bill Graham, former Commissioner of Human Rights at the U.N. Mary Robinson and Nobel Prize winner John Polanyi.

Mr. Veresen was the anchor at Channel 5 during the Orange Revolution and became, for many, the voice and face of the revolution. He is a veteran journalist and respected television broadcaster in Ukraine, and was the first Ukrainian journalist to work for a foreign news service, the BBC, reporting for the network in 1986-1996.

He then became host of the social affairs TV program "Taboo," which tackled themes that had previously been off limits, such as drug problems, sex and police corruption.

Mr. Jallow, managing editor of the Independent in Gambia, was chosen for his efforts to promote press freedom in Gambia.

CJFE is an association of more that 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.

Mr. Veresen currently works for the new TV channel K1, where he moderates a daily talk show. While in Toronto, Mr. Veresen met with the Ukrainian media at a press conference organized by the Consulate General of Ukraine.

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