The International Publishers Association (IPA) has announced a five-organisation shortlist for its inaugural Freedom of Expression Defenders Award, recognising initiatives promoting freedom of expression, freedom to publish and freedom to read across the global book and media sectors.
The shortlisted organisations are The Media Coalition and the Penguin Random House Intellectual Freedom Taskforce, both from the United States; the Soviet Past Research Laboratory (Sovlab) of Georgia; StraightForward Foundation, also known as “Geradeaus” e.V., from Germany; and the Turkish Journalists Association.
The winner of the inaugural award will be announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. (PublicNow)
According to the IPA, the new award was created to recognise individuals, companies, organisations and coalitions working to protect what it describes as the “trinity of freedoms” — freedom of expression, freedom to publish and freedom to read.
IPA President, Gvantsa Jobava, said the first shortlist demonstrated that efforts to defend these freedoms could provide hope and inspiration in the face of growing threats to free expression.
“With this initiative we really wanted to be able to bring hope and inspiration and our first ever shortlist does exactly that,” Jobava said.
She added that the shortlisted initiatives demonstrated different ways of defending freedom of expression and urged others to learn from their experiences.
Chair of the IPA Freedom to Publish Committee, Jessica Sänger, said the selection process exposed the wide range of approaches being used to defend free expression, including initiatives led by private companies, coalitions and professional associations.
She said the shortlisted organisations demonstrated that growing attacks on free expression should not lead to defeatism, stressing that efforts to protect these freedoms could succeed.
The Media Coalition, based in the United States, was recognised for its work defending the media’s First Amendment rights to produce and distribute mainstream content, as well as the public’s right to access a broad range of speech.
The coalition has pursued legislative advocacy and litigation, including more than 40 lawsuits challenging laws it considers violations of those rights.
Also shortlisted from the United States is the Penguin Random House Intellectual Freedom Taskforce, established in May 2023 to respond to growing threats to intellectual freedom in publishing.
The taskforce brings together employees from across the publishing company and focuses on legal strategy, legislative engagement, public awareness and support for authors. Among its initiatives is the annual “Banned Wagon,” which provides banned books and related resources to bookstores and libraries across the United States.
Georgia’s Soviet Past Research Laboratory, known as Sovlab, was shortlisted for its work researching the country’s Soviet-era history and challenging what it describes as the weaponisation of historical memory through Russian disinformation.
Established in 2010, Sovlab has carried out independent research, organised public events and published more than 20 books and articles dealing with subjects including anti-communist resistance, political repression and the Soviet occupation of Georgia.
Germany’s StraightForward Foundation, or “Geradeaus” e.V., was recognised for its support for Russian artists affected by censorship, forced displacement and the loss of professional livelihoods.
Founded in 2023, the organisation promotes freedom of expression, human rights, intercultural understanding and civic engagement through literature, education and cultural production. It has also supported artists in developing manuscripts addressing subjects banned by the Kremlin and has produced nine books translated into 11 languages.
The fifth shortlisted organisation, the Turkish Journalists Association, was founded in 1946 and is described by the IPA as Turkey’s first professional press organisation.
With nearly 4,000 members, the association advocates for freedom of the press and freedom of expression, protects journalists’ professional rights and promotes the public’s right to access news and information.
The Freedom of Expression Defenders Award was launched by the IPA in 2025 as a complement to its Prix Voltaire and other initiatives aimed at defending publishing freedoms. The first call for nominations opened in January 2026 and closed on March 31.
The IPA said the award is specifically intended to recognise defenders from the broader book sector and related fields whose work contributes to safeguarding freedom of expression, freedom to publish and freedom to read.
The announcement comes as the IPA continues to strengthen its advocacy for the three freedoms, which it considers essential to a vibrant publishing industry and democratic society.