“Again and again, Ukrainian society has seen that courage means speaking when others choose silence.

Two years ago, my colleagues at Ukrainska Pravda received emails asking them to pass a message on to me: that sometimes, knowing when to keep your mouth shut can save your life. To this day, the case has not been investigated. And the pressure continues — not only on Ukrainska Pravda, but on the few other independent media outlets that remain in Ukraine. But our experience has taught us exactly the opposite. That asking uncomfortable questions, exposing the truth, and holding those in power accountable can save lives. Silence does not protect democracy. Journalism does. And in a country fighting for its freedom, a free press is not a luxury. It is part of what we are fighting for — and part of what keeps our democracy alive,” comments Mykhailo Tkack, investigative journalist, Ukrainska Pravda.

“The Foreign Agents law was written to make us call ourselves servants of a foreign power.

We refused to register – the moment you accept someone else’s description of what you are, you have stopped being a journalist. When your own government calls you a foreign agent, being seen clearly from the outside is a form of protection,” says Nino Bakradze, editor-in-chief, iFact.

The Free Media Awards Ceremony and the Free Media Conference
The Free Media Awards Ceremony will be held at the Munch Museum in Oslo on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, and the Free Media Conference will be arranged at the Fritt Ord Foundation on Wednesday, 30 September.

About the prize laureates receiving Free Media Awards in 2026:

Mykhailo Tkack (Ukraine)
Mykhailo Tkack is receiving a Free Media Award for his dauntless and consistent investigative wartime journalism. As head of investigative journalism at Ukrainska Pravda, he has helped shape the public debate in Ukraine and internationally by exposing cases of corruption and abuses of power. His exposés of corruption in connection with the awarding of government contracts and defence suppliers, in addition to the preferential treatment afforded to wealthy individuals and the lavish lifestyles of certain members of the Ukrainian elite abroad in the wake of the Russian invasion, play a vital role in society. His recent reporting on developments related to Operation Midas is one example of journalism that ensures matters of significant public interest remain subject to scrutiny. Tkach has also investigated and exposed covert Russian influence in Western countries. He has been subjected to threats on numerous occasions. Tkack’s reporting is a brilliant example of how investigative journalism is not only possible, but absolutely crucial for a country at war. In 2026 Tkach received the Georgiy Gongadze Prize, one of Ukraine’s most respected awards for independent journalism.

iFact (Georgia)
iFact is receiving a Free Media Award for its significant investigative journalism on matters of great public interest in Georgia that others are trying to conceal. The investigative journalists at the Tbilisi-based news outlet are behind major investigations into Russian influence in the country and ties to the Georgian Dream Party, as well as corruption among the elite at state level. The iFact reports that have had the greatest public impact include the undermining of the independence of the country’s Ombudsman, the misuse of Georgia’s borders as ‘green corridors’ to circumvent sanctions, and Russian funding of Georgian organisations to promote pro-Russian views. With the utmost integrity, iFact has contributed to cross-border journalistic collaboration. Despite increasing pressure, iFact continues to be a rock-solid media platform. iFact was established in 2016 by Nino Bakradze and Nino Gagua. Nino Bakradze has held the position of editor-in-chief since the very beginning.

Factor TV (Armenia)
Yerevan-based Factor TV is receiving a Free Media Award for its independent, fact-based journalism which clearly contributes to a more nuanced public debate in Armenia. Through rigorous reporting, investigations and analysis, Factor TV cuts through disinformation and propaganda, establishing itself as one of Armenia’s leading independent and trusted media outlets. The outlet has distinguished itself through investigative and watchdog journalism, exposing corruption, conflicts of interest, breaches of integrity and abuses of power, and prompting criminal investigations and disciplinary proceedings. Factor TV also reports extensively on human rights, violence against women, minority rights, and other sensitive or underreported issues. Amid growing disinformation, politicised propaganda, hate speech and foreign information manipulations and interference, Factor TV systematically exposes misleading narratives, prebunks and debunks disinformation, and provides audiences with verified information and context. Factor TV was established in 2017 by Arevhat Sahakyan, president of the Factor Information Center NGO. Vanik Hakobyan serves as editor-in-chief.

Verstka (Russia)
The independent online media outlet Verstka was established in April 2022 in response to the destruction of Russian media during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Based in Prague, Verstka is receiving a Free Media Award for being a credible first-hand source on the human costs of the war, militarisation and oppression, domestic and gender-based violence, and the persecution of LGBTQ+ communities. Its journalists frequently document what happens to those who oppose the war. Verstka reports on Russia without regard for censorship, pressure or manipulation. It has become one of the most widely cited independent Russian media outlets covering politics, society and culture. Russia blocked Verstka in June 2022, and editor-in-chief Lola Tagaeva was designated a ‘foreign agent’ in January 2024. Nevertheless, Verstka continues to report from the courts and the regions, using sources who face great personal risk.

Andrei Aliaksandrau (Belarus)
Journalist and media director Andrei Aliaksandrau, who is currently imprisoned in Belarus, has been chosen to receive a Free Media Award for his courage and commitment to freedom of the press and freedom of expression under an increasingly repressive regime. Through his work at the independent Belarusian news agency BelaPAN and the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), he has helped strengthen professional standards of journalism, support independent media and build international networks of journalists and human rights defenders. Andrei Aliaksandrau was arrested for his work in 2021. In 2022, he was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment on trumped-up charges. He is recognised as a political prisoner.

The jury
All candidates were nominated by international institutions and organisations that are active in Eastern and Central Europe, or by experts on the region. The international jury that selected this year’s prize laureates consisted of Alice Bota, Eastern Europe correspondent for Die ZEIT; Juri Durkot, Ukrainian journalist and translator; Attila Mong, Berlin-based representative in Europe for The Committee to Protect Journalists; Inna Sangadzhieva, director for Europe and Central Asia at the Norwegian Helsinki Committee; and Silvia Stöber, senior reporter for Correctiv.

About the Free Media Awards:
The ‘Free Media Awards’ is the name of the press prizes awarded by the two foundations The Fritt Ord Foundation, Oslo, and Zeit Stiftung Bucerius, Hamburg. The awards seek to highlight and strengthen the independent role of journalists and media in Eastern and Central Europe.
https://frittord.no/en/prizes/free-media-awards

Contact:
Bente Roalsvig, project director, Fritt Ord, mobile: +47 916 13 340, e-mail: bente.roalsvig@frittord.no
Inna Sangadzhieva, jury member, Free Media Awards, mobile: +47 976 99 458, e-mail: is@nhc.no