Pakistani journalist receives Tully Free Speech Award

Newhouse's Tully Center for Free Speech annually gives out an award to a journalist who has faced obstacles to free speech. This year's winner is Umar Cheema, an investigative journalist for The News, a daily newspaper based in Pakistan. 

In 2010, the Committee to Protect Journalist names Pakistan as "the world's deadline country for the press." In 2010 alone, eight journalists in the country were killed in connection to their work, according to SU News. 

Cheema has faced many risks being a journalist in Pakistan. As an investigative journalist, Cheema has faced significant threats when uncovering corruption in the government, politics and social affairs of Pakistan.

In September of 2010, Cheema was abducted, blindfolded, stripped naked, beaten and was told the violence was a consequence of his work as a journalist, according to SU News. 

Cheema has characterized his reporting as "critical for the ruling elite regarding the corruption, mal-governance and also about the army and intelligence agencies."

Cheema will receive his award on April 15 in an event open to the public.