Pictures of the winners and the ceremony will be uploaded here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmd4Ciw9

The winners of Amnesty International UK’s prestigious Media Awards 2018 have been announced at a ceremony in London this evening. 

Reuters received the Outstanding Impact Award for its investigation series on Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’, impressing the judges with brave reporting that provided key evidence in the campaign against the killings.

Other winners in the 11 award categories included HuffPost UK, Sky News, BBC World Service, The Guardian and ITV News. There were also awards for photojournalist Robin Hammond for his series on mental health patients in Croatia, and BBC journalist Nawal Al-Maghafi, for her reports from Yemen.

The Awards, which have been running annually since 1992, celebrate excellence in human rights journalism and applaud the courage and determination of journalists who often put their lives on the line to report on vital human rights issues.

The ceremony was held at Bafta in central London, and was hosted by journalist and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman.

Jeremy Paxman said:

"I salute all the winners and runners-up of Amnesty's Media Awards. They've brought us important human rights stories that have been both heart-breaking and uplifting. This is journalism that really matters. Without determined reporters who so often put themselves on the front line to call out injustice around the world, so many abuses would slip under the radar. It's important that we recognise and champion the work of the free press."

During the ceremony, there was a moment of reflection for the more than 120 journalists and other media workers currently imprisoned in Turkey as part of the crackdown on civil society in the country since the attempted coup in July 2016.  

Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK, said:

“This evening we’ve seen some outstanding journalism that has shown what fantastic things can be achieved when media exposes wrong-doing, holds leaders to account, and inspires us to take action.

“At a time when countries like Turkey are silencing many of their journalists, there’s a pressing need to stand up for and celebrate the essential work of the free media.

“At Amnesty, we’re extremely proud to work with many journalists who are committed to exposing human rights abuses and changing things for the better. Our Media Awards are a thanks to them.”

The winners:

Nations and regions

Emma Youle, Hackney Gazette/Archant Investigations Unit: The Hidden Homeless.

Judges: Bimpe Archer (The Irish News); Emily Banks (Hampstead & Highgate Express); Chitra Ramaswamy (freelance); James Stewart (BBC); Patrick Corrigan (Amnesty UK).  

Innovation

HuffPost UK: House Without Windows.

Judges: Anna Doble (BBC World Service); Georgia Graham (Channel 4 News); Polly Curtis (HuffPostUK); Laurie Hanna (Amnesty UK).

Student

Simisola Jolaoso, Goldsmiths, University of London: Forensic Nurses: Fighting Sex Crimes in South Africa.

Judges: Michael Crick (Channel 4 News); Simon Hattenstone (Guardian); Deborah Haynes (The Times); Ali Milani (NUS); Charlie Phillips (The Guardian); Cora Bauer (Amnesty UK).

Features

Gary Younge, G2, The Guardian: The boy who killed - and the mother who tried to stop him.

Judges: Siofra Brennan (Femail, MailOnline); Melissa Denes (Guardian Weekend); Sharon Lougher (Metro); Andrea Thompson (Marie Claire); Rachel Reilly (Amnesty UK).

Documentaries (radio and podcast)

BBC World Service, Assignment:  The Lost Children of ISIS.

Judges: Karen Dalziel (BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour); Tom Edwards (Monocle 24); Anna Harding (Global Radio/Heart London); Paul Stanworth (BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat); Rachel Reilly (Amnesty UK).

News

Sky News: Rohingya Exodus 

Judges: Ben Bryant (BBC Three); Arti Lukha (ITV News); Emily Wilson (The Guardian); Sarah Whitehead (Sky News); Jessica Winch (The Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph); Laurie Hanna (Amnesty UK).

Investigations

Reuters: Duterte’s War

Judges: George Arbuthnott (The Sunday Times); Amelia Hill (The Guardian); Rachel Oldroyd (Bureau of Investigative Journalism); Claire Newell (The Telegraph); Harriet Garland (Amnesty UK).

Gaby Rado Award (for best new journalist)

Nawal Al-Maghafi, BBC.

Judges: Tom Rado; Lucy Bannerman (The Times); Peter Diapre (Sky News); Nicole Jackson (The Guardian); Gabriella Jozwiak (freelance); Laurie Hanna (Amnesty UK).

Photojournalism

Robin Hammond, The Observer/Guardian Online: People like us

Judges: Phil Coomes (BBC); Paul Conroy (photojournalist); Shannon Jensen (documentary photographer); Joanna Ruck (The Guardian); Richard Cowley (Amnesty UK).

Documentaries (television and film)

ITV/Wild Pictures: The Forgotten Children.

Judges: Camilla Mankabady (ITV News); Shaminder Nahal (Channel 4); Nicholas Springate (BBC News); Karen Wightman (BBC Panorama); Neil Durkin (Amnesty UK).  

Outstanding Impact Award

Reuters: Duterte’s War.

Judges: Thomas Schultz-Jagow (Senior Director of Campaigns and Communications at Amnesty’s International Secretariat); Kerry Moscogiuri (Director of Supporter Campaigning and Communications at Amnesty UK); Amnesty UK Media Team.

The full Media Awards 2017 shortlist can be found here.