Iranian political scientist, Sadegh Zibakalam, is the winner of this year’s Deutsche Welle’s DW) Freedom of Speech Award.
This was announced yesterday at the on-going Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany.
Speaking when he presented the award, DW’s Director General, Peter Limbourg, described Zibakalam as one of Iran’s most well-known intellectuals and political experts.
Zibakalam is famous for intense debates he holds with hardliners, repeatedly criticising the government’s official stance on domestic and foreign policy matters.
In his acceptance speech, Zibakalam said he has not spent a day in prison in Iran for his beliefs.
“But there are many Iranian writers, journalists, lawyers, women and human rights activists, trade unionists, students, artists, dissident and opposition figures, religious thinkers— including Sunnis, Bahais, Christians, activists and even Dervishes and Sufi mystics— who have spent many years behind the bars,” Zibakalam said.
He told the gathering that, much as he is happy that he has been recognised, there were a number of people in Iran who deserved the award more than him.
Meanwhile, Times Television has been praised for airing content from DW including News.
Speaking in a question-and-answer forum, Limbourg said he is happy that his organisation has a cordial relationship with African television stations.
“A number of television stations in Africa have embraced us now and we are being watched in many countries in Africa, including on Times TV of Malawi,” Limbourg said.
He, however, dismissed suggestions that DW poses a threat to local content in Africa, saying the institution complementing the efforts of local content generators in Africa.
“We will continue to train more journalists in the Africa region and, whenever we can, shall continue to receive African journalist at our base here in Germany” Limbourg said.
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