Christophe Deloire, head of Reporters Without Borders, dies at 53 – NBC Chicago

Christophe Deloire, who as chairman of the media freedom organization Reporters Without Borders negotiated for the release of imprisoned journalists around the world and offered refuge to threatened reporters, died on Saturday. He was 53 years old.

Deloire had been battling a sudden, aggressive cancer and died in Paris surrounded by her loved ones, according to board members of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Deloire was “a tireless defender of the freedom, independence and pluralism of journalism on all continents in a context of information chaos,” RSF said in a statement.

“Journalism was his life’s struggle, which he fought with unshakable conviction,” it continued.

With boundless energy and a smile even when he was critical, Deloire traveled constantly to Ukraine, Turkey, Africa and beyond to lobby governments and defend journalists behind bars or under threat. Press freedom activists from many countries paid tribute to his work and mourned his death.

Deloire helped Russian broadcaster Marina Ovsiannikova escape Russia in a secret operation in 2022 after she came under criticism for denouncing the war in Ukraine on live television. RSF also launched a program to provide Ukrainian journalists with protective equipment and training after Russia’s invasion.

Publicly and behind the scenes, Deloire campaigned for the release of journalist Olivier Dubois, who was held for two years by Islamic extremists in Mali and was due to be released in 2023, as well as for other imprisoned reporters.

During his 12 years at the helm of RSF, he expanded the group’s reach and activism and increased its standing with governments. Under his leadership, RSF launched the Journalism Trust Initiative, a program to certify media outlets to restore public trust in the news, and a program called Forum for Democracy, which aims to counter threats to democratic thought and freedoms.

Deloire was born on May 22, 1971 in Paray-le-Monial, Burgundy. She worked as an investigative reporter and headed a prestigious French journalism school, CFJ, before becoming director of RSF.

He leaves behind his wife Perrine and their son Nathan.