On 19 December Mazen Darwish was announced as one of the recipients of the ‘Reporters without Borders’ 2012 Prize for Press Freedom.
Mazen Darwish is a human rights defender and journalist from Syria. Even though he finished a law degree, he was, due to his human rights activities, never accepted at the Syrian Bar Association to work as a lawyer.
For years, Darwish has been advocating press freedom and free speech in Syria. In 2000, Mazen Darwish founded the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), creating the first ever NGO in Syria.
His active commitment to human rights has repeatedly made him a victim of state repression. He was arrested on 16 February 2012, and is currently still being held incommunicado.
Mazen Darwish received ‘2012 Journalist of the Year’ for his ‘courage and commitment to freedom of information’.
