Musa Kart, laureate of the International Press Cartoon Prize

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the Swiss Foundation Cartooning for Peace and the City of Geneva award the 2018 International Press Cartoon Prize to Musa Kart. The famous Turkish cartoonist, who has been drawing for 25 years in the main opposition daily newspaper Cumhuriyet, was arrested with dozens of his colleagues following the failed coup in Turkey in July 2016. Accused of “association with a terrorist organization”, and after nine months in pretrial detention and again nine long months of trial, a Silivri court sentenced him to 3 years and nine months in prison. He’s not jailed pending appeal procedures.

As a tribute to the courage and determination of cartoonists in defending freedom of expression, the International Press Cartoon Prize honours press cartoonists who are in danger because of their art. The 3rd of May is also marked by the inauguration of an exhibition of press cartoons dedicated to human rights, to be seen on the shores of Lake Geneva. Several of Musa Kart’s artworks as well as support cartoons of his colleagues from all over the world are thus offered to the public throughout the month of May, inviting to reflect on the role of press cartoonists, barometers of our democracies.

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