Reporters Without Borders, Le Monde and TV5 Monde Press Freedom Prize (December 8, 2011)

France warmly congratulates the two winners of the Press Freedom Prize awarded by Reporters Without Borders, Le Monde and TV5 Monde to the Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat and the Burmese weekly newspaper, Weekly Eleven News.
This prize honors the professionalism, the courageous action and determination they demonstrate in defending human rights and democratic values.
Ali Ferzat, himself the victim of the brutality of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, symbolizes the courage of the Syrian people, who are fighting every day to defend their freedom and fundamental rights.
Over the last few years, the weekly newspaper, Weekly Eleven News, has, in a situation of censorship, overcome the difficulties and has done an outstanding job in informing the Burmese people and the world. While positive changes are currently taking place in Burma, its forthrightness and professionalism, which have inspired the creation of other publications, are more necessary than ever.
The awarding of this prize provides an opportunity for the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs to commend the tireless and courageous efforts of journalists throughout the world in support of the freedom of expression and information. France, whose attachment to the freedom of the press is constant, will remain committed and mobilized in support of the many journalists who are still being persecuted and arbitrarily detained.

Government forces break the hands of Syrian political cartoonist

Ali Ferzat after his attack (via the Washington Post/Facebook)

Look, I’m not even going to pretend to be familiar with the work of Ali Ferzat, a Syrian political cartoonist who has emerged as an outspoken critic of dictator Bashar al-Assad and his bloody crackdown against anti-government protestors over the past several months. But you can bet Assad and his regime know his work, and hate it, because their security forces abducted Ferzat, beat him, made a point of breaking his hands, and dumped him on the side of the road. This Washington Post article lays out the details as they are known right now, and included the terrifying Facebook picture above. The news comes via Tom Spurgeon of The Comics Reporter, generally your best source for information on the pressures faced by political cartoonists worldwide.
Though people like Mike Diana, Jesus Castillo, and Christopher Handley provide us with sad exceptions to this rule, in general, no one in America is subject to legal (or extralegal) punishment for the comics they draw, sell, or consume. We’re lucky. And while it’s impossible not to be gobsmacked by not just the brutality but the arrogance of a government that would punish a cartoonist critic in such an overtly symbolic manner, it’s just as impossible not to be awed by the bravery of an artist who knows he’s up against a government that would do a thing like that, but goes up against them anyway.
You can express your support for Ferzat at this Facebook page. And why not take your wallet out and donate to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund while you’re at it?