MEDIA AWARDS GLOBAL AWARD SHORTLIST
The winners will be announced at the Amnesty International Media Awards ceremony at BAFTA, London, on Thursday 27 June 2002, which will be hosted by BBC Radio 4's Nick Clarke.
The Global Award shortlisted entries are:
Chris Hedges, for his article 'A Gaza Diary, Scenes from the Palestinian uprising' published by Harper's magazine in the USA. Hedges, former Middle East Bureau chief of The New York Times, returns to the Gaza Strip to describe everyday life - and death - under Israeli occupation. It is a story of loss, humiliation and raw cruelty.
Victor Tereshkin for his article 'He's been appointed spy' published by Posev in the Russian Federation. Tereshkin covers the trial of journalist Grigory Pasko, accused of passing military secrets to Japan. Pasko, who worked for the newspaper of the Russian Pacific fleet, had written a number of articles about the environmental impact of spent nuclear fuel, decommissioned submarines and liquid radioactive waste.
Amos Safo for his article 'Where old age is not welcome' published on Africanews. He reports on the plight of elderly people in Ghana, in particular on the Gamabaga Witch Camp. Here, elderly Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights accused of being witches have been banished, to live in deplorable conditions. Often, younger people blame witchcraft for deaths in the family, or any calamity in the neighbourhood.
The distinguished panel of judges was: Paul Hoffman (civil and human rights lawyer, USA), Sir Nigel Rodley (Professor of Law and former Special Rapporteur on Torture for the UN Commission on Human Rights, UK), Najam Sethi (founder-editor of The Friday Times, Pakistan), Zwelakhe Sisulu (founding editor of the New Nation newspaper, South Africa), Ahdaf Soueif (novelist and short-listed for the Booker Prize).
The 11th annual Amnesty International UK Media Awards, sponsored by Pci:Live, recognises excellence in human rights reporting and acknowledges the significant contribution made to the UK public's awareness and understanding of human rights issues.
A second international award will also be announced at the Media Awards. The Special Award for Human Rights Journalism Under Threat is given every year to a journalist from anywhere in the world who is putting themselves at risk by reporting on the human rights situation in their own country. The 2002 Special Award will be jointly presented by award-winning journalist Fergal Keane, and Marie O'Hagan, the widow of murdered journalist, Martin O'Hagan.
Other categories to be announced on the night, for which short-listed entries have already been announced are: National Newspapers; Television News; Photojournalism; Radio; Periodicals; Television Documentaries