Amnesty International today (1 June) announced the shortlists for its prestigious media awards, recognising excellence in human rights reporting and acknowledging journalism’s significant contribution to the UK public’s awareness and understanding of human rights issues.

The winners of the 15th annual Amnesty International UK Media Awards, sponsored by PCI:Fitch, will be announced at a ceremony at the Café Royal, London, on Tuesday 27 June, hosted by BBC News 24 and Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis.

Shortlists are announced in eight categories. The ninth is an international award - the Amnesty International Special Award for Human Rights Journalism Under Threat – and the winner will be announced on the night.

Shortlists

Gaby Rado Memorial Award (for a journalist at the start of their career)

How Iraq lives now, The Guardian - Ghaith Abdul-Ahad
Human rights in the Former Soviet Union, The Guardian - Nick Paton Walsh
Reports from Sudan, Jacob Zuma and Jordan, More4 – Nima Elbagir

Judges: Mike Blakemore, Lindsey Hilsum, Isabel Hilton, Andrew MacDonald, Lorna Martin, Carol Rado

Nations and Regions

Justice for Omar, The Argus (Brighton) - Andy Tate, Miriam Wells, Rob Hustwayte and Rachel Pegg
Tales from the edge, the Glasgow girls, BBC Scotland, Lindsey Hill and Simon Parsons
Torture flights: the inside story, The Sunday Herald - Neil Mackay

Judges: Patrick Corrigan, Steve Crawshaw, Paul Donovan, Clare Hudson, Tracy McVeigh, Maggie O’Kane

National newspapers

‘Dust people’ forage for food in Zimbabwe ruins, The Sunday Times – Christina Lamb
Iraq special report, The Observer – Peter Beaumont
The sex traffickers, The Sunday Telegraph – David Harrison

Judges: Roger Alton, Mike Blakemore, Dr Rosemary Hollis, John Kampfner, Ann Leslie, Sean Ryan, Ahmed Versi

Periodicals

Beasts of prey, The Sunday Times Magazine – Christine Toomey
Combatting caste, New Internationalist - Mari Marcel Thekaekara and Nikki van der Gaag
Trauma on Loan, Guardian Weekend – Joe Sacco

Judges: Mike Blakemore, Bill Bowring, Jimmy Burns, Ian Hislop, Jenni Murray, Sandi Toksvig.

Photojournalism

Rwanda - facing the virus, Positive Lives exhibition - Stuart Freedman
Sex – the new black market, The Sunday Times Magazine – Stephanie Kuykendal
Survivors of domestic violence – South Africa, foto8 – Jodi Bieber

Judges: Heidi Bradner, Jon Levy, Judah Passow, Maggie Paterson, Peter Preston, Alex Proud, Mark Sealy

Radio

Children's rights accused of witchcraft, BBC Radio News - Angus Crawford
The gay divide, BBC Radio Current Affairs - Leonida Krushelnycky
Reports from rural China, BBC Radio 4 - Rupert Wingfield Hayes

Judges: Mike Blakemore, Simon Cadmon, Husain Husaini, Francis Wheen,
Julian Worricker

Television documentary and docudrama

Asylum, BBC – Amanda Richardson, Peter Gordon
Children's rights of Beslan, BBC and HBO – Eva Ewart, Leslie Woodhead
‘Never Again’, BBC Panorama – Darren Kemp, Fergal Keane

Judges: David Belton, Yigal Chazan, Simon Israel, Imran Khan, Maggie Paterson, Joan Smith

Television news

China - land seizures, BBC News – Rupert Wingfield Hayes
Conflict - tin: Congo's tin soldiers, Channel 4 News - ITN
Zardeh - a poisoned village, BBC Newsnight - Amir Amirani, Frances Harrison

Judges: Anton Antonovich, Kevin Bakhurst, Emily Maitlis, Maggie Paterson, Don Redding, Kim Sengupta, Alistair Stewart

Find out more about the 2006 Media Awards...