Jamal Khashoggi, Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo, Maria Ressa and The Capital Gazette were given the honor.
Time named a group of journalists it called “the guardians” from “the war on truth” as its Person of the Year. All of those named “have paid a terrible price to seize the challenge of this moment,” Time editor in chief Edward Felsenthal wrote.
For the first time, Time gave the honor to someone who has died, Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist who wrote for The Washington Post and was killed in October.
“Time Magazine’s choice to honor journalists who have lost their lives or the freedom to do their jobs is a powerful reminder of the critical role journalists play and the increasing dangers they face,” said Washington Post publisher and CEO Fred Ryan. “We applaud Time for using this coveted annual award to highlight their important work. We hope this recognition will prompt our nation’s leaders to stand up for America’s values and hold accountable those who attempt to silence journalists who cover our communities, or in Jamal’s case, an oppressive authoritarian government.
