Gvantsa Jobava, President of the International Publishers Association said: With this initiative we really wanted to be able to bring hope and inspiration and our first ever shortlist does exactly that. These are all initiatives showing how we can fight for freedom of expression, for the freedom to publish and for the freedom to read. Let us learn from them and use their experience.
Jessica Sänger, Chair of the IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee said: It has been a real privilege for the Freedom to Publish Committee to consider the nominations for this new prize. We saw so many different ways of organising the defence of free expression – from private companies, to coalitions to associations. Above all, they showed that there is no reason to be defeatist in the face of the growing attacks on free expression. We can fight back and win.
The full shortlist is:
The Media Coalition, United States of America
The Media Coalition protects the media’s First Amendment right to produce and distribute mainstream content and defends the public’s right to access the broadest range of speech. We engage in legislative advocacy and litigation including bringing more than 40 lawsuits in to block laws that violate those rights, with an outstanding record of success. Founded in 1973, our members represent most of the authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, and film and video game producers in the U.S.
Penguin Random House Intellectual Freedom Taskforce, United States of America
Founded in May 2023 with CEO Nihar Malaviya’s sponsorship and chaired by Skip Dye, SVP Institutional Markets and Digital Strategy, the Penguin Random House Intellectual Freedom Taskforce brings together twenty-five employees across divisions to address growing threats to intellectual freedom across the publishing landscape. The taskforce covers legal strategy, legislative engagement, public awareness, and author support, and has spearheaded initiatives like the annual Banned Wagon, bringing banned books and resources to bookstores and libraries across the U.S.
Sovlab (Soviet Past Research Laboratory), Georgia
Since 2010, Sovlab, or the Soviet Past Research Laboratory, has remained a leading Georgian Organization dedicated to researching Georgia’s Soviet totalitarian past and countering the weaponization of memory by Russian disinformation. Despite political pressure, Sovlab has conducted independent research, organized public events, and published over twenty books and articles to challenge misinformation about anti-communist resistance, political repression, and the Soviet occupation of Georgia.
StraightForward Foundation / ”Geradeaus” e.V., Germany
“Geradeaus” e.V., also known as StraightForward, was founded in 2023 to support persecuted Russian artists, particularly those affected by censorship, forced displacement, or loss of professional livelihood, and of promoting freedom of expression, human rights, intercultural understanding, and civic engagement through literature, education, and cultural production. StraightForward helps artists develop new manuscripts on topics banned by the Kremlin and has produced nine books translated in eleven languages.
Turkish Journalists Association, Türkiye
Founded on June 10, 1946, as the country’s first professional press organization, the Turkish Journalists Association is a public-interest professional body with nearly 4,000 members. Since its inception, the Association has worked to remove obstacles to freedom of the press and freedom of expression, and to safeguard the public’s right to access news and learn the truth. It defends the professional rights of journalists, fosters solidarity against rights violations and aims to enable journalists of all political persuasions to practice their profession and deliver news to citizens.