HONG KONG, May 16, 2019 — The Human Rights Press Awards (HRPA) is proud to announce that Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and their colleagues will be honored with this year’s award for Best Investigative Feature Writing, in recognition of their groundbreaking work “Myanmar Burning,” which documented military atrocities against the Rohingya Muslim minority.
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were released from a Myanmar prison on May 7 after spending 511 days behind bars for allegedly exposing “state secrets” in the course of reporting the celebrated work, a damning investigation into the massacre of 10 Rohingya men and boys by security forces and armed Buddhist civilians.
“In an era when politicians denounce journalists as enemies, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo became symbols of the importance of press freedom and the sacrifices made in its pursuit,” said Stephen J. Adler, Editor-in-Chief of Reuters. The news agency will also take home awards in two other English-language categories: Breaking News and Explanatory Feature writing.
Press freedom defender and CEO of the Philippines-based news website Rappler, Ms Maria Ressa, addresses the Human Rights Press Award Ceremony as keynote speaker.
This year’s ceremony serves as a stark reminder of urgent threats to press freedom across Asia, embodied by keynote speaker Maria Ressa, co-founder and CEO of the Philippines-based news website Rappler. Currently free on bail after her second arrest this year, Ressa speaks on the dangers she and her colleagues face as journalists in the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Your reporting matters. Now more than ever. We need to hold the line, and show the best of human nature. That is our hope for the future!” remarked Maria Ressa, as she addressed the audience today.
Now in its 23rd year, HRPA presents 52 awards recognizing outstanding journalism in the area of human rights across Asia. This year saw a record 468 entries in both English and Chinese languages, a 13% increase from last year. A total of 182 entries were submitted in Chinese-language, while 286 were submitted in English.
Winning entries ranged from high-profile issues such as the plight of Myanmar’s Rohingya, to under-reported topics such as the extrajudicial killing of Muslims in India or the hardships faced by stateless minority communities living precarious lives on Cambodia’s waterways.
Our annual People’s Choice Photo Award goes to “Three Defendants” by Tsang Hin-chung of Ming Pao, which captures the moment of three activists’ imprisonment. “This photo marks the end of a series of legal process, but as to whether the democratic process will be put on halt, or how the human rights situation in Hong Kong will change, it still demands continual attention of journalists,” Tsang said. The winning shot received 41% of all votes.
Winning Photo of People’s Choice Photo Award: “Three Defendants” by Tsang Hin-chung of Ming Pao.
This year’s English-language Multimedia award goes to a team of reporters for the New York Times covering the devastating collapse of a hydropower dam in Laos. Eleven journalists across six countries contributed to the series comprising two documentaries and a week’s worth of news articles. The Chinese-language Multimedia award goes to Taiwan’s Apple Daily team for “MeToo in Taiwan: Stories of Three Migrant Workers.”
The English-language Documentary Video award goes to “China’s Hidden Camps” by BBC News, which reveals shocking images from Xinjiang’s so-called “re-education” camps where Muslim minorities have been detained. John Sudworth, one of the winning journalists, said the film “captures the full, shocking reality, and makes a major contribution to the sum of public knowledge about China’s system of Muslim internment camps.” The Chinese-language Documentary Video award goes to “The Book Merchant” by Cheng Sze Sze of RTHK, which delves into the power dynamics behind SINO publishing companies.
Merit winning Photo of Photography (Single): “Rohingyas in No Man’s Land” by Ye Ang Thu of AFP.
“The Human Rights Press Award exemplifies the dignity and rights of mankind. When such values are gradually disappearing, these awards and entries are even more precious,” said Bruce Lui, one of the judges for Chinese-language Short Video, Documentary Video, Audio and Multimedia categories.
Lui was among 33 experts in journalism, law and human rights who reviewed entries in 21 categories including breaking news, explanatory features, investigative features and commentary in text and print, multimedia, radio & audio, photography, short video, documentary and student works.
Hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club Hong Kong, Amnesty International and the Hong Kong Journalists Association, the Human Rights Press Awards was the first honour of its kind in Asia and remains among the region’s most prestigious professional accolades, celebrating journalism that raises awareness about human rights and highlights threats to freedom.
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2019 HUMAN RIGHTS PRESS AWARDS WINNERS
Breaking News Writing (English)
Winner
China’s Crackdown on Student Labour Activists
Sue-Lin Wong and Christian Shepherd of Reuters
Merit
Forced Labour in Xinjiang
Emily Feng of Financial Times
On the Eve of Freedom, A Glimpse Inside Liu Xia’s Flat
Becky Davis of AFP
Investigative Feature Writing (English)
Winner
Myanmar Burning
Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo and their colleagues of Reuters
Merit
A Chronicle of the Crime Fiction that is Adityanath’s Encounter Raj
Neha Dixit of The Wire
Conflict, Conscription and a Cover-up: The Killing of Six TNLA Medics
Clare Hammond, Victoria Milko and Kyaw Lin Htoon of Frontier Myanmar
Explanatory Feature Writing (English)
Winner
Tracking China’s Muslim Gulag
Philip Wen, Olzhas Auyezov, Thomas Peter, Christian Inton and Simon Scarr of Reuters
Merit
Template for Hate
Rohini Mohan of Harper’s Magazine
Sum of Her Parts: Why are the Majority of Living Organ Donors in India Women?
Sohini Chattopadhyay of The Hindu (India) and The New York Times
Commentary Writing (English)
Winner
Why Singapore’s Moves to Curb ‘Fake News’ May Backfire
Kirsten Han
Merit
Rakhine: Time for a New Approach
Thomas Kean of Frontier Myanmar
Short Video (English)
Winner
Growing Up Too Fast in Afghanistan
Andrew J Phillips and Preethi Nallu of Al Jazeera English
Merit
Unhappy Holidays
John Sudworth, Kathy Long, Lily Lee and Wang Xiqing of BBC News
Documentary Video (English)
Winner
China’s Hidden Camps
John Sudworth, Kathy Long, Lulu Luo and Wang Xiqing of BBC News
Merit
Student/Trafficked: The Final Chapter
Elroi Yee, Shanjeev Reddy and Satpal Kaler of R.AGE
Brides and Brothels: The Rohingya Trade
Karishma Vyas of Al Jazeera English
Multimedia (English)
Winner
Series: Laos Dam Collapse
Mike Ives, Ben C. Solomon, Richard C. Paddock, Julia Wallace, Choe Sang-Hun, Muktita Suhartono, Rick Gladstone, Len Leng, Maea Lenei Buhre, Ryn Jirenuwat and Tim Wallace of The New York Times
Merit
Too Many Men
Annie Gowen, Simon Denyer and Jasu Hu of The Washington Post
Sichuan Earthquake, 10 Years On: How a Tragedy Changed China
Sarah Zheng, Choi Chi-yuk and Magdalene Fung of South China Morning Post
Student Writing (English)
Merit
Periods: Addressing a Taboo and a Need of the Underprivileged
Supriya Chhetri, Gianna Aquino, Janina Rika and Karrie Lam of MSS Messenger, Marymount Secondary School
Student Video & Audio (English)
Winner
Lawyer Lin
David Missal of Hong Kong Free Press
Breaking News Writing (Chinese)
Winner
Liu Xia Arrives in Germany for Treatment; Fulfilling Liu Xiaobo’s Last Wish; Freedom in the End
China Section of Apple Daily Hong Kong
Merit
50 Arrested in Jasic’s 3 Month Labour Movement; Supporters Say State Media Faked News About Foreign Instigators
Chen Yi Qin and Fong Sim Chu of Ming Pao
Edward Leung and 6 Others Charged for Inciting Riots in Mong Kok’s Conflicts
Tai Ching Hei of CitizenNews
Investigative Feature Writing (Chinese)
Winner
The Storm of Human Trafficking at Sea
Lee Hsueh Li Sherry and Chiang I Ting of The Reporter
Merit
Series: Scandal of the Shatin to Central Link
Investigation Section of Apple Daily Hong Kong
“Save our Kids”: Examining Child Abuse Issues
Yip Kit Ming of CitizenNews
Explanatory Feature Writing (Chinese)
Winner
Taiwan: Dangerous Island for Immigrant Workers
Chien Yung Ta of The Reporter
Merit
Outcry Behind Bars
Chan Ping Ting of The News Lens
Lawyers Dealing with Poisonous Milk Powder and Problematic Vaccines, What Are They up To?
Qin Kuan of Initium Media
Commentary Writing (Chinese)
Winner
Three Secretaries for Justice Sought External Advice on Ten Cases Unrelated to Staff; Grenville said Teresa Cheng Didn’t Understand the Policy of Briefing Out
Ng Yuen Ying of CitizenNews
Merit
“We Are Not Here for Fun” – A Reporter’s Mission
Tsai Ching Hua of Opinions@CommonWealth
Merit
When Fishing Ground Exploitation Meets International Labour Organisation: Has Taiwan Sensed the Alarm from Cape Town
Sung Chen En Raymond of The Reporter
Short Video (Chinese)
Winner
District Councils’ Proxy Votes
Yeung Leung Kit of CABLE News
Merit
Government Department Fails to Offer Interpreters in Accordance to Guidelines
Leung Ho Ying of CABLE News
Documentary Video (Chinese)
Winner
The Book Merchant
Cheng Sze Sze of RTHK
Merit
The Buried Truth
Chan Wai Li Gary and Hui Siu Fun of NowTV
The Melamine Scandal, Ten Years On
Chui Man Kit and Jerran Lin of CABLE News
Audio (Chinese)
Winner
The Confession of Rights Lawyer Wang Yu
Chan Miu Ling of RTHK
Merit
The Vanished Liberal Think Tanks
Chan Miu Ling of RTHK
Series: Sichuan Earthquake, 10 Years On
Chau Chi Wing of RTHK
Multimedia (Chinese)
Winner
MeToo in Taiwan: Stories of Three Migrant Workers
Ho Po Chun, Hou Liang Ju, Lin Huan Cheng, Chen Wei Chou, Chen Ting Jen, Wu Yi Jing, Wang Shih Chuan, Hu Tsu Wei, Hsueh Ho Chi, Keng Shih Ting and Wang Wen Ting of Apple Daily Taiwan
Merit
Unavoidable Currents – Survey of China’s #MeToo
Yang Zi Qi, Yang Yu, Jin Qiu Feng, Tseng Lee Yu and Rango Zhu of Initium Media
Student Writing (Chinese)
Winner
Half a Century of Heavy Metal Pollution Gives Villagers Deformed Limbs
Liu Dicksa Isabelle, Lam Sum Yi, Shen Qing and Cheung Tung of U-Beat Magazine, CUHK
Merit
40 Years After the Yau Ma Tei Boat People Resistance: The Chronicle of Unlawful Assembly
Yu Ka Hin, Ng Wing and Yiu Wing Tung of U-Beat Magazine, CUHK
Inheriting Domestic Violence – How to Escape the Grip of Fate
Kan Hiu Wai, Ng Tsz Kiu and Ng Wing of U-Beat Magazine, CUHK
Student Video & Audio (Chinese)
Winner
Autism – A Long Way to Integration
Au Sin Yi, Chan Chun Yiu, Kwok Wing Yee and Ng Chun Chun of U-Beat Magazine, CUHK
Photography (Single Image)
Winner
Underground Church in China
Lam Yik Fei of The New York Times
Merit
Rohingyas in No Man’s Land
Ye Aung Thu of AFP
Photography (Series)
Winner
The Looted Honor
Mohammad Rakibul Hasan of Ilta-Sanomat
Merit
Where a Taboo is Leading to the Deaths of Young Girls in Parts of Western Nepal
Tara Todras-Whitehill of The New York Times
People’s Choice Photo Award
Winner
Three Defendants
Tsang Hin Chung of Ming Pao
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