Amnesty International UK announces Media Awards 2022

Amnesty International UK announced its prestigious Media Awards 2022 on Wednesday (4 May) at a ceremony held in London, hosted by the BBC's Special Correspondent and Filmmaker Nawal Al-Maghafi.

The awards celebrate the best human rights journalism of 2021 across 12 categories, including investigations, broadcast news, documentaries, photojournalism, student media, radio and podcasts, as well as best use of digital media.

This year, it was presented by Nawal Al-Maghafi and Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

Al Jazeera took home the award for best investigation for its exposé of state corruption and human rights abuses in Bangladesh.

BBC News came at the top of the broadcast news category for its report on the situation for Afghan women and girls following the Taliban's takeover; while the Guardian won 'Best Use of Digital Media' for its creative piece on the moment Israeli forces hit al-Jalaa tower in Gaza.

Meanwhile,  Amnesty's Outstanding Impact Award was handed to BBC News Arabic, BBC News Russia and BBC Digital for their joint investigation into the shady operations of Russia's Wagner group.

The compelling 'Collective: Unravelling a Scandal' came top of the documentaries category, while Patrick Strudwick won the features category for his piece in the i paper, which detailed the plight of LGBT people in Afghanistan.

Here is a complete list of winners:

Investigation

• Al Jazeera Media Network, Al Jazeera Investigations: All the Prime Minister's Men

Judges: Seyi Rhodes (Channel 4), Rachel Jupp (BBC), George Arbuthnott (Sunday Times), Barney Calman (Mail on Sunday), Kai Akram (Amnesty International UK).

Features

• The i newspaper and inews.co.uk, The Plight of LGBT people in Afghanistan, by Patrick Strudwick

Judges: Annie Kelly (Guardian), Joe Wallen (Telegraph), Matt Vella (FT Weekend Magazine), Matt Chapman (Bureau of Investigative Journalism), Moya Lothian-McLean (Novara Media), Ella Berny (Amnesty International UK).

The Gaby Rado Award for New Journalist

• Rosa Furneaux, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

Judges: Sophia Yan (The Telegraph), Sahar Zand (freelance), Lindsay Taylor (friend of Gaby Rado and former Channel 4 News correspondent), Samantha Poling (BBC Worldwide), Rachel Reilly (Amnesty International UK).

Student Journalist

• Kimi Chaddah, Durham University

Judges: Nimra Shahid (Global Witness), Eamonn Matthews (Quicksilver Media), Simi Jolaoso (BBC), Matt Chorley (Times Radio), Jason Bennetto (City University of London), Kai Akram (Amnesty International UK).

Radio & Podcasts

• Whistledown Productions for Audible UK, The Bias Diagnosis - Episode 3: Thought
• Judges: Nihal Arthanayake (BBC 5 Live), Owenna Griffiths (BBC Radio 4 Today), Basma Khalifa (Unpretty Podcast), Tom Cheal (LBC), Harriet Garland (Amnesty International UK).

Broadcast News

• BBC News, Afghan Women

Judges: Laura Kuenssberg (BBC News), Carly Bishop (ITV News), Deborah Haynes (Sky News), Cait FitzSimons (5 News), Neil Durkin (Amnesty International UK).

Best Use of Digital Media

• The Guardian, Countdown to the airstrike: the moment Israeli forces hit al-Jalaa tower, Gaza

Judges: May Abdalla (ANAGRAM), Lydia McMullan (The Guardian), Matt Risley (Channel 4), Richard Moynihan (BBC), Joe Pickover (PA Media), Kai Akram (Amnesty International UK).

Written News

• Al Jazeera English Online, "A Tigrayan womb should never give birth": Rape in Tigray

Judges: Josie Ensor (The Telegraph), Michael Safi (The Guardian), Joel Taylor (Metro), Manveen Rana (Times & Sunday Times), Rachel Reilly (Amnesty International UK).

Photojournalism

• Harsha Vadlamani, See how rural India has been overrun by the pandemic's second wave

Judges: Mark Sealy (Autograph ABP/ University of the Arts London), Philip Coburn (Daily Mirror), Paul Conroy (Freelance), Sara Rumens (The Times), Smita Sharma (Freelance), Richard Burton (Amnesty International).

Nations and Regions                        

• BBC Scotland, Mapping the impact of Covid on Scotland's care homes

Judges: Jennifer McKiernan (BBC London), Toby Granville (Newsquest), Eve Livingston (Freelance), Ellie Cullen (Press Association), Patrick Corrigan (Amnesty International UK).

Documentaries

• BBC Storyville, Collective: Unravelling a Scandal

Judges: Tom Giles (ITV), Sarah Waldron (BBC), Daniel Louw (Channel 5), Nevine Mabro (Channel 4), Ella Berny (Amnesty International UK). 

Outstanding Impact

• BBC News Arabic, BBC News Russia and BBC Digital News, Inside the Wagner Group
• Awarded by Amnesty International UK