Courtroom journalist Saskia Belleman is awarded the Machiavelli prize for communication

Court reporter Saskia Belleman has been awarded the Machiavelli Prize. The award is presented annually by the Machiavelli Foundation to a person or organization for a remarkable achievement in the field of public communication. On her X account, the Telegraaf journalist responded: "What a great start to 2025!"

Belleman has “made the court accessible to a large and broad public. She also contributes to the transparency of and understanding of the law. An indispensable pillar of our much-discussed constitutional state,” said the jury for the award.

“Because of her factual reporting, Belleman has grown into a role model for a young generation of journalists. She tirelessly lets the facts speak for themselves at a time when pressure on journalists to abandon impartiality is omnipresent,” the jury added.

They also praised Belleman for her agenda against femicide. In doing so, she has "set the police, the judiciary and politics in motion. In a polarised playing field, she has managed to unite parties inside and outside parliament on this issue. This represents an important step in tackling this horrible phenomenon."

Jaap Velema, the Mayor of Westerwolde, where the Asylum Seekers Center of Ter Apel is located, was the winner of the award last year. The prize is a bronze statue of Niccoló Machiavelli, the Italian diplomat and philosopher from the Renaissance era who is considered the founder of modern political science.

The prize will be awarded on Wednesday, February 19.