Dawit Isaak, a founder of Eritrea’s first independent newspaper who has been imprisoned for the past nine years without charge or trial, has been awarded the 2011 Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual press freedom prize of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).
Mr Isaak, who has dual Eritrean-Swedish citizenship, was imprisoned following a September 2001 suppression of the independent media in Eritrea, one of the worst countries in the world for press freedom. The country has no private newspapers, radio or television stations.

Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeid-Abadi, who is currently serving a six-year prison sentence, was honoured during a ceremony at the opening of the World Editors Forum in Hamburg, Germany, for "his courageous actions in the face of persecution and for his outstanding contribution to the defence and promotion of press freedom."

Mr Zeid-Abadi was among at least 110 journalists arrested following the disputed re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009. At least 23 remain behind bars, about a fifth of all journalists imprisoned worldwide.

Najam Sethi, Editor-in-Chief of Friday Times in Pakistan, has been awarded the 2009 Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual press freedom prize of the World Association of Newspapers.

Mr Sethi, whose newspaper advocates liberal and secular ideas in a country too-often torn by religious extremism, was honoured for his outstanding defence and promotion of press freedom under difficult circumstances and constant personal danger.

"We are delighted that the Burmese authorities have finally released U Win Tin from prison, even though his release is long overdue," said Timothy Balding, the CEO of the Paris-based WAN. "We now call on the authorities to free all other journalists and human rights activists who are being unjustly held for their views.