A Liberian journalist and communications expert has won an international award for his journalistic excellence and activism in pursuit of government accountability and the promotion of human rights in Liberia.
Given by the Community of Christ, the ‘International Human Rights Award’ recognizes a person’s significant efforts to promote human rights globally.
Presented (in absentia) on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Church’s Headquarters in Independence Missouri, the United States of America, the Committee says it recognizes Sam Zota’s journalistic work and activism in pursue of social justice and the human rights of Peaceful assembly and free speech in Liberia.
In a short video message, the Liberian journalist expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the Community of Christ, particularly the Human Rights Committee for selecting him as the recipient of such a prestigious Global Award.
“This Award is for the people of Liberia, particularly the poor and marginalized including women, girls, boys, children and persons with disabilities who continue to languish in abject poverty and hopelessness in the midst of bountiful resources; I dedicate this global accolade to you,” he said.
The former Press Union of Liberia (PUL)’s Investigative Reporter said while he feels fulfilled to have gained such a global recognition, he feels ‘even more obligated and challenged’ to keep being the voice of the voiceless.
“I am aware of the adage: “To whom much is given, much is expected… I’ve been given greater responsibility to continuously stand in the vanguard for the defense and promotion of human rights, and to keep demanding for social justice in Liberia and beyond,” he noted. Since 2009, Sam has been fighting for social justice and government accountability.
In a country with credible reports of significant human rights issues including but limited to: ‘unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media, including violence (widespread state security brutalities) and threats of violence against journalists; serious government corruption’ – U.S. Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Liberia for 2022 https://bit.ly/4168iJV, Sam has fearlessly devoted his journalistic work to promoting social justice and demanding accountability from public officials.
The Community of Christ Human Rights Award is presented to individuals for their engagements in activities that ‘maintained a sustained commitment and given exceptional service in affirming the essential rights for peaceful assembly, free speech, specific cultural identities, formation of mutually cooperative human communities, or freedom from fear and threats to personal safety and well-being; and served at the forefront of causes working to alleviate suffering and to promote basic human rights.’
As a journalist in Liberia, a location of significant and widespread poverty, Sam’s investigative reporting broke stories such as the theft of the million textbooks donated to the people of Liberia by the former US President, George W Bush in 2008, the water pollution in Weala and other surrounding villages in Margibi County.
The one million textbooks were donated for distribution to public schools across Liberia, but disappeared from schools and ended up on an illegal market under suspicion of corruption. The water pollution in Weala and other surrounding villages in Margibi County in rural Liberia caused by Firestone Liberia, an America-owned rubber processing company, affected the major source of drinking water for local citizens and residents.
In a location where demanding public accountability appears like committing a felony against the state, and critical voices considered as ‘noisy minorities’ or ‘enemies of the state,’ the journalist has maintained his professional integrity and journalistic ethics throughout his professional career.
He ‘covered the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 by visiting various Emergency Treatment Units (ETUs) to tell the stories of the people in those units.’
Sam has earned recognition from the Liberia Media Center and the Canadian-based, Journalists for Human Rights as ‘Human Rights Reporter of the Year 2012’ and the Press Union of Liberia (PUL)’s ‘Investigative Reporter of the Year 2013.’ In 2014, he was among several national volunteers recruited by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Liberia Country Office as a national communication associate.
In 2019, Sam established the Rights Media Liberia Incorporated which champions as being the ‘voice of the voiceless.
Amidst security uncertainties for citizens (including journalists) with increased reports of unexplained deaths and disappearances, Sam moderated a radio broadcast under the auspices of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), transmitted on three national stations from 2020 to 2022. The radio program empowered with citizens with relevant pieces of information to demand accountability from political and community leaders. He also uses his social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and blog) to promote human rights and demand accountability from duty-bearers.
Sam Zota currently serves as communications lead at Partners in Health Liberia (PIH-L), a social justice organization committed to working alongside the communities it serves to establish meaningful local partnerships and build delivery systems that increase healthcare access, utilization and quality for all.
Sam is a faithful church member of the Community of Christ, father, husband, and mission center financial officer of the Liberia/Sierra Leone Mission Center, and the second Liberian citizen to win the Community of Church awards. Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee won the Church’s International Peace Award in 2016.
The International Peace Award sponsor by the Community of Christ and the Show Family Foundation was established to honor and bring attention to the work of peacemaking and peacemakers in the world. It recognizes a person’s significant efforts to purpose peace, while the Human Rights Award also recognizes individuals for their engagements in activities that promoted human rights that had an impact on a community outside of the Community of Christ— on a local, national, or international level, and promoted human rights through church policy, hymnody, curriculum theology, or another area.
