UNESCO/GUILLERMO CANO WORLD PRESS FREEDOM PRIZE AWARDED IN GENEVA

Paris, May 3 {No.2000-44} - World Press Freedom Day was celebrated today with the award by the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, of the 2000 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to Syrian journalist Nizar Nayyouf who has been in detention since January 10, 1992.

Timothy Balding, Director-General of the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) received the Prize on behalf of Nizar Nayyouf in a ceremony at Geneva's International Conference Centre, in the presence of, notably, Carlo Schmid-Sutter, Chairman of the Council of States, representative of the Swiss Federation, of Guy-Olivier Segond, President of the State Council of Geneva, of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, and of Ana Maria Busquets de Cano, President of the Guillermo Cano Foundation.

On this occasion Mr Schmid-Sutter declared: "Press freedom, independence and pluralism are an ideal not easy to attain, even in countries with democratic traditions. This ideal is today seriously threatened by economic and commercial imperatives and by the phenomenon of concentration. [...] When freedom of press is respected, it has a positive impact on the individual, society and the State. When it is thwarted, it is the individual, society and State who pay the price. In such times, wherever we may live, press freedom concerns us directly. This is why those who have the privilege of enjoying [a free press] must be vigilant and preserve it, and help those who are deprived conquer it."

Mr Matsuura for his part stressed: "On many occasions, history has reminded us that a free and independent press is indispensable to the exercise of transparency, responsibility and for just and legitimate authority. Exact news constitute both a citizens' right and the very bedrock of democracy."

The Director-General expressed concern for the fate of the laureate and urged the Syrian authorities to set Nizar Nayyouf free in view of his serious health problems. He went on: "Although during the past year the number of journalists killed, imprisoned or prevented from carrying out their work has reached an unacceptable level, some encouraging progress has been noted." In this context, he spoke of Senegal as an example that "demonstrates the media's contribution to the real exercise of democracy," and of Nigeria, "where the independent media have kept the beacon of hope shining during the dark years when power was in the hands of the military regime."

Timothy Balding, the Director-General of WAN which proposed the candidacy of the Syrian journalist spoke of the fate of the laureate: "He has not seen the sun for many years. He is confined to a little s olitary cell and is suffering, it appears, from a back fracture and a leg paralysis following repeated torture. He also appears to be suffering from leukaemia, from liver disease and ulcers, but is being refused appropriate medical treatment."

Mr Balding quoted excerpts of the messages that Mr Nayyouf has been able to communicate from prison. The latter formally denies recent news of his release. Mr Nayyouf also thanked all those who take his defence, UNESCO in particular. After associating Tunisian journalist Taoufic Ben Brik and his Iranian colleagues to the tribute being paid to him, Mr Nayyouf wrote: "Let us pursue our fight, a fight for truth [...]. I hope that I deserve what you have done for me. I am merely a human being who still believes, like the poet of Dagestan, Rassoul Gamzatof: Destiny has been very favourable to me. I am not mad, not even blind. I simply want to see bread, inexpensive bread, and the life of a human being, that which is dearest."

For her part, Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: "It is shocking to note that during last year alone 87 journalists and media personnel were reportedly killed while carrying out their assignments." She added that "conflict situations are a true test of governments' commitment to freedom of expression."

Ana Maria Busquets de Cano, granddaughter of the Colombian journalist and publisher Guillermo Cano after whom the Prize has been named, declared that Nizar Nayyouf embodied the spirit of Guillermo Cano who was assassinated while reporting on the activities of drug barons in his country. She expressed her joy and pride at seeing Mr Nayyouf represent "the indefatigable spirit of the struggle for press freedom despite the inhuman and terrible circumstances he is forced to endure in prison in the capital of Syria."

Mr Nayyouf - the editor-in-chief of the monthly Sawt al-Democratiyya (The Voice of Democracy), published by the Committee for the Defence of Democratic Freedom in Syria (CDF), and contributor to the Al-Hurriya weekly - has been in jail since January 10, 1992. He was condemned to 10 years of forced labour for belonging to the banned CDF and for disseminating false information.

The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize honours a person, organisation or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involves risk. The US$25,000 Prize is awarded every year at the recommendation of an independent Jury of twelve media professionals.