Vitoria City Council is set to award the Francisco de Vitoria Medal to the organization Reporters Without Borders for its "active defense of press freedom." The decision was made this Tuesday at the Spokespersons' Board meeting, and the medal ceremony will take place in July, coinciding with the Vitoria International Law and International Relations Courses.
Founded in France in 1985, Reporters Without Borders is an internationally recognized organization for its protection of journalists. In contexts of extreme violence, it has become the leading NGO for legal, economic, and technical assistance to professionals at risk.
Its independent work is extremely relevant and meritorious, contributing to the strengthening of the right to information as a fundamental pillar of democratic societies.
In the last five years, persecution in armed conflicts has increased, and 2025 was particularly lethal, with the assassination of 67 media professionals, 43% of whom died in Gaza. Thanks to its monitoring work, its reports and denunciations are used as a reference by governments, courts, and intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the European Union.
Recently, the organization has been actively working against the proliferation of disinformation and in defense of freedom of information online, denouncing digital censorship, state espionage, and targeted attacks against digital media.
