The award, instituted by the International Commission of Writers, was presented by Mr. Justice Peter Tomka, President of the International Court of Justice and awarded for his ‘for his selfless dedication to affairs of the media.’
The judges said that “He has consistently displayed a high degree of professionalism and effectiveness in executing the multitude of administrative duties constantly confronting him as a leader of the media.”
The award was presented at the International Conference of Jurists & Writers which was jointly organised by the International Council of Jurists and International Commission of Writers at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in London. The ceremony was attended by Chief Justices, Judges, Ministers, editors, writers and diplomats.
Accepting the award, Mr Satchwell said that it is only a free media that can properly serve the public because it is seen to be independent and holding all sides to account.
He added: “That is why those of you working in the law carry a heavy burden and those of us working in the media must share some of the responsibility for maintaining confidence in justice.”
“The rule of law and freedom of expression are essential elements of any democracy.
"Both the courts and the media must be free and independent to maintain and fight for those core principles.
"That is our role in any society that seeks to be considered civilised."
J K Rowling and Chairman of Zee News Subhash Chandra also received the International Writers Award for 2014 for fantasy writing and news reporting respectively.
Rowling was selected for her contribution to children’s literature. The award was also presented to Zee News Chairman Subhash Chandra for “the pivotal role played by him in improving the standards of television news. He has canvassed for change and has made an unwavering pursuit of innovative approaches for gathering and disseminating news”, said Dr Aggarwala, President of the International Council of Jurists, in a statement.
Other recipients included M K Razdan, Editor-in-Chief, Press Trust of India for his contribution to responsive democracy by accurate and prompt reporting of events.
The International Commission of Writers also selected Mexican Ambassador to UK Diego Gomez Pickering for the award “In recognition of his lifetime contribution to journalism and writing. Besides playing multitudinous roles involving press coordination and journalism, he has various publications and books to his credit.”
