Telling the incredible tale of Anna Politkovskaya has taught me one thing: I could never be that brave | Maxine Peake

Maxine Peake stars in *Words of War*, a film portraying Anna Politkovskaya, a fearless Russian journalist who risked her life to expose corruption. The article highlights the perilous lives of journalists worldwide, with over 1,800 killed since 1992 and a 56% rise in women’s violence in journalism from 2023. It pays tribute to Shireen Abu Akleh, an American-Palestinian journalist shot on May 11, 2022, whose colleagues admired her courage despite lacking accountability. The piece underscores the importance of press freedom and calls for support through donations to organizations like the Committee to Protect Journalists and the National Press Club Freedom Centre.