BOSTON. Massachusetts, May 4: Fifty journalists from five continents were named "world press freedom heroes" by the International Press Institute (IPI) in a ceremony here Wednesday, reports AFP.

The 50 were chosen by the IPI for "significant contribution" to the defence or promotion of press freedom in their country' or worldwide over the last 50' years, the IPI said in a statement.

Seventeen of those honoured are deceased. Of these, five were killed as a result of outspoken work on controversial topics, the IPI said.

They were: Guillermo Cano of Colombia. Pedro Joaquin Chamorro of Nicaragua, Veronica Guerin of Ireland. Tara Singh Haycr of Canada and Abdi Ipekci of Turkey.

Andre Sibornana of Rwanda, former editor of the newspaper Kinyamatcka and one of the first to report and condemn the genocide there in 1994. died at age 43 because he was denied permission to travel abroad for medical treatment, the 11’1 said.

Nazar Nayyouf of Syria, former editor-in-chief of the monthly newsletter Sawt al-Democratlyya. is "currently imprisoned under deplorable conditions and near death after years of torture." It said.

Chinese Journalist Gao Yu has been under house arrest since her release from prison In 1999 and Cuban Raoul Rivero is barred from leaving Cuba, both for their dissident views. It said.

Also named was Hubert Beuvc-Mery of France, who founded the leading daily "Lc Monde" after the liberation ol France from German occupation In 1944.