Amnesty Media Awards 2025: Winners announced

04 Jun 2025, 01:36pm

Winners across the 12 award categories include BBC Radio 4, Channel 4, The Guardian, Financial Times, ITV News and BBC Eye Investigations

Owen Jones took home The People’s Choice Award

Al-Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh was presented with an Outstanding Contribution to Human Rights Journalism accolade

‘Journalists around the globe are facing increased attacks and being silenced - it is more important than ever that we champion their work and make a stand for press freedom’ - Sacha Deshmukh

Images from the ceremony can be downloaded here

Amnesty International UK has announced the winners of its prestigious Amnesty Media Awards 2025 in a ceremony at the BFI Southbank London this evening (4 June), hosted by actor, writer and director Jolyon Rubinstein.

The 12 categories commended the most outstanding human rights journalism of the last year, with winners including Channel 4 and BBC Eye Investigations. Financial Times won both the Written Feature and Written News awards, while ITV News took home the Broadcast News trophy.

The Guardian won the Written Investigations category for reporting on the violent truth behind Italy’s ‘migrant reduction’, whilst BBC Radio 4 won the Radio & Podcasts award for a programme spotlighting the diary of a woman from Afghanistan.

Most categories were judged by a panel of prestigious journalists and media workers, including Ayshah Tull, Lindsey Hilsum, and Alex Crawford, but a new award for 2025 – The People’s Choice Award – saw tens of thousands of people across the UK voting for the journalist who they felt has made the biggest contribution to human rights reporting over the past year. This award was handed to Owen Jones, for his tireless efforts highlighting injustices, especially around the ongoing devastating crisis in Gaza.

This year, the Amnesty Media Awards shone a spotlight on the dangers that journalists often face to expose the most pressing human rights issues. 2024 was the deadliest year on record for journalists and media workers - at least 124 journalists and media workers were killed. A staggering 70% of those were a result of Israeli military action in Gaza and Lebanon. 

A special award for Outstanding Contribution to Human Rights Journalism was presented to Al-Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, Wael Al-Dahdouh , who gave a speech during the ceremony about the decades he has spent reporting from the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The ceremony, which also featured a performance by singer Emeli Sandé, was live-streamed and attended by hundreds of journalists, broadcasters, producers and presenters.

Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK, said:

“We’ve seen and commended some truly breathtaking journalism this evening – proof that good human rights reporting is absolutely essential for exposing injustices and holding power to account. Journalism is far more than just reporting on the facts - it can instigate very real, concrete change that impacts peoples’ lives across the planet.

“At a time when journalists around the globe are under increased attack and at risk of being silenced, it is more important than ever to champion their work and make a stand for press freedom.

“While the footage, words and reports we’ve awarded this evening remind us of the horrors we are living through, they are also proof of the many people committed to highlighting, exposing and ending violence and abuse. That is what the Amnesty Media Awards are all about – recognising, celebrating and inspiring the human rights journalism that makes the world a fairer, more equitable and peaceful place.”

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Broadcast Feature

Basement Films for Channel 4

Kill Zone: Inside Gaza

Broadcast Investigation

BBC Eye Investigations

Settlements Above the Law

Broadcast News

ITV News

The White Flag

The Gaby Rado Award for New Journalist

Sophie Neiman