Lina Ben Mhenni Wins Freedom of Speech Award

Like many Tunisians in recent months, Lina Ben Mhenni has taken to the streets demanding change and the end of the rule of dictator Ben Ali. But much more, Ben Mhenni, who is an assistant lecturer at Tunis University, has become one of the most important voices in the region via her blog, A Tunisian Girl. There she has given a first-hand account with reporting, photos and films and provided a vital news forum for those fighting for change throughout North Africa and the Middle East.

German publisher Ullstein Buchverlage recently published Ben Mhenni's call to action, the 48-page Vernetzt Euch! (Get linked), in the tradition of Stéphane Hessel's  surprise hit Empört Euch (read more here). And now Ben Mhenni has won the BOBs blog award at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum - Deutsche Welle is Germany's international radio and TV broadcaster. The BOBs awards are among the most prestigious international awards for blogs championing freedom of speech and human rights.

"When I saw how people were being killed it became clear there was no going back," said Ben Mhenni in an article on Deutsche Welle's website. "I had to ensure that the voices of these people and their families be heard so that they hadn't died in vain."