Blueprint for Free Speech, an international nonprofit that promotes freedom of expression, announced their 7th Blueprint Whistleblowing Prizes on December 5, honoring whistleblowers from six countries across three continents.
The Blueprint Whistleblowing Prize strives to increase public awareness of the critical role whistleblowers play in exposing fraud, embezzlement, and corruption, and how their actions protect public safety and contribute to healthy democracy by exposing wrongdoing. The award also strives to honor the personal toll whistleblowing has on individuals who sacrifice their personal safety and livelihoods in the name of public good.
Blueprint for Free Speech’s administration of their Whistleblower Prize aligns with the nonprofit’s mission to expose and deter crime and corruption by promoting public-interest whistleblowing and offering support to whistleblowers.
Of this year’s winners, a number were fired or otherwise faced workplace retaliation, one was jailed, three were threatened with assassination, and one took their own life. Dr. Suelette Dreyfus, a judge in the award process, stated that “this year’s awards once again shine a light on the vital role that whistleblowers play in exposing corporate and municipal corruption, to the point of saving thousands of lives. At the same time, rather than receiving the protection they deserve, many suffer deleterious effects on their careers and mental wellbeing – and in more extreme cases, place their own lives at risk.”
The following winners for 2024 will share the £21,000 prize money and each will receive a personal trophy.
North America
- John Barnett (United States) – Boeing Whistleblower
- Sam Salehpour (United States) – Boeing Whistleblower
- Roy Irvin (United States) – Boeing Whistleblower
- Joshua Dean (United States) – Boeing Whistleblower
- Sam Mohawk (United States) – Boeing Whistleblower
- Cynthia Kitchens (United States) – Boeing Whistleblower
- Santiago Paredes (United States) – Boeing Whistleblower
Africa
- Sarah Kiyto (Uganda) – Uganda Netball Federation Whistleblower
- Sarika Lakraj Naidoo (South Africa) – City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality Whistleblower
- Dorothy Mmushi (South Africa) – Eskom Whistleblower
- Mbusco Ngcobo (South Africa) – Municipal Corruption Whistleblower
- Vivian Muoneke and Egbuna Olakunle Obidike (The Gambia) – Deadly Cough Syrup Whistleblowers
- Ravo Ramasomanana (Madagascar) – Public Health Service Whistleblower