Freedom of speech matters only when people are willing to pay a price for it — and in Ukraine, this is well understood.
The Evening of Press Freedom (Abend der Pressefreiheit) took place on May 6 in Berlin. It is a formal ceremony for awarding the 2026 Press Freedom Prize. The event brought together journalists, publishers, politicians, and representatives of media organizations to honor those who work under pressure, risk, and direct threats to freedom of speech.
This year, one of the central moments of the ceremony was the laudation (a ceremonial speech in honor of a person receiving an award — ed.) for Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong publisher and one of the most prominent political prisoners of our time. It was delivered by Oksana Brovko, CEO at the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine. Among those present at the event was also President of the Bundestag Julia Klöckner.
In her speech, Oksana Brovko spoke about freedom of speech not as an abstraction, but as a daily choice — both in Ukraine and globally.
«This award is about Jimmy Lai. But it is also about something more. It is about the moment when a person decides not to step back. Freedom does not disappear when it is attacked. It disappears when we decide not to defend it», she said.
Jimmy Lai’s story is not only the story of one individual, but also an example of how authorities can persecute not only a journalist, but a media institution as a whole. Oksana Brovko drew parallels between Hong Kong and Ukraine, where journalists also work under pressure. While in some countries freedom of speech is restricted through laws and repression, in Ukraine journalism operates under the direct threat of war.
Photo: Anthony Kwan / Getty Images
«Freedom of speech is not guaranteed — it must be defended every day», was a key message throughout her speech.
The ceremony in Berlin serves as a reminder that the challenges facing journalism may differ, but the core remains the same — without independent media, there is neither trust nor democracy.
The full text of Oksana Brovko’s speech will be published soon on the Association’s website.
BACKGROUND
Oksana Brovko is СEO of the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine and a member of the WAN-IFRA Board of Directors. She leads systemic programs supporting independent media in Ukraine. She is a recipient of international awards, including the Golden Pen of Freedom (WAN-IFRA) and the INMA Global Media Award, and was also honored with the 20minutos Prize, presented by King Felipe VI of Spain.
The Evening of Press Freedom (Abend der Pressefreiheit) is an annual ceremonial event in Berlin that honors journalists and media organizations working under difficult or dangerous conditions and defending the independence of information.
The event is organized by the Bündnis Zukunft Presse alliance, which includes two major German media organizations — the Federal Association of Digital Publishers and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) and the Media Association of Free Press (MVFP). Together, they represent hundreds of publishing houses and thousands of journalists in Germany.
The main highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Press Freedom Prize (Pressefreiheitspreis). It is awarded to journalists, editorial teams, or media organizations that work under pressure, threats, or in wartime conditions, defend the independence and credibility of information, and continue their journalistic work despite risks.
The Evening of Press Freedom is held as part of the Press Freedom Week in Germany, which is dedicated to World Press Freedom Day (May 3).
Jimmy Lai is the founder of the independent newspaper Apple Daily in Hong Kong and a well-known critic of the Chinese authorities. He was arrested in 2020 on charges of «collusion with foreign forces» and sentenced in 2026 to 20 years in prison. His case is considered one of the most high-profile examples of restrictions on freedom of speech in Hong Kong.
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«Freedom is not lost when it is attacked. It is lost when we decide not to defend it»
