Court reporter Saskia Belleman has been awarded the 2024 Machiavelli Prize. The journalist from De Telegraaf received the prize because she “made the court accessible to a large and broad audience,” according to the jury.
“This contributes to transparency and understanding of the judiciary,” the jury stated. The Machiavelli Prize has been awarded annually since 1989 to individuals or organizations that have made a significant contribution to communication between politics, government, and citizens.
Belleman has highlighted the issue of femicide, or deadly violence against women, prompting changes within the police, judiciary, and politics, according to the jury. “In a polarized field, she has united parties within and outside of parliament on this issue,” the jury noted.
“This is an important step in addressing this horrific phenomenon.” Belleman is also seen as a role model for young journalists. “She tirelessly lets the facts speak in a time when the pressure on journalists to abandon impartiality is widespread,” the jury added.
The award will be presented next month on February 19 by Marja Wagenaar, Chair of the Machiavelli Foundation, at the press center Nieuwspoort in The Hague. Past recipients of the Machiavelli Prize include Johan Remkes, Gerrit Hiemstra, Marion Koopmans, Diederik Gommers, and the journalistic collective Bellingcat.
Source: NOS