Amindeh Blaise Atabong Winner of the 2019 Local Reporter Award for his work in documenting the violent split between Cameroons English and French speaking
communities

Fisayo Soyombo won the Kurt Schork Local Reporter Award for his undercover investigation on Nigeria’s criminal justice system. Soyombo spent 13 days in detention to experience the widespread corruption first-hand - involving the police, the courts and the prison officials

Shah Meer Baloch, a freelance journalist from Pakistan, won the award for his reporting on child labour in the country’s coal mines, the persecution of the Kalasha community and systemic government negligence in the national polio vaccination programme. Baloch is recognised for taking considerable risks to bring these stories to light.

Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares won the 2021 Local Reporter Award for his investigations into extra-judicial killings involving military and civil police in Rio de Janeiro. The judges recognised his “meticulous research, sourcing and journalism” on an under-reported and complex issue, which exposed the byzantine bureaucracy that enabled such corruption and impunity to flourish.

The 2021 News Fixer Award went to Khabat Abbas from Syria. Through her local knowledge, extensive network of contacts and journalism skills, Abbas secured multiple exclusives for international media which made headlines, including an interview with three British women who had joined the Islamic State.

Jason Motlagh, an Iranian-American journalist, won the 2021 Kurt Schork Freelance Award for his reporting on Afghanistan. Motlagh’s stories provide valuable insight into the realities on the ground prior to the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces in August, while his investigative reporting on civilian casualties and spotlighting of threats to Afghan media workers starkly reveal the human cost of war.

Kamiran Sadoun, a Kurdish news fixer from Syria, won the award for his work on the frontlines with international journalists covering conflict in the country. Sadoun has also been instrumental in documenting the suffering left behind after the collapse of the Islamic State.

The 2019 News Fixer Award went to Iraqi news fixer Sangar Khaleel, who has worked with journalists from major news outlets covering the rise and fall of ISIS in Iraq. The judges applauded his courage and dedication in the field. Yet what stood out to them was his “empathy and genuine care for those he meets and a strong sense of purpose in giving a voice to the victims of war”, combined with his unrelenting “dedication to follow up on people and places when most media have moved on”.

Amanda Sperber, an East Africa-based foreign correspondent, wins the Freelance Award for her reporting on armed conflict and politics in Somalia. The judges highlighted how Somalia is often overlooked in global media, and that her years of reporting “in difficult and dangerous conditions” have helped to shine a light on “elusive truths”

Simona Foltyn, an Austrian journalist based in the UAE, has won the Freelance category award for her reporting about the war in South Sudan The judges agreed that her stories stood out and ‘were impressively detailed, powerful as well as fearless and compassionate.’

Simona Foltyn, an Austrian journalist based in the UAE, has won the Freelance category award for her reporting about the war in South Sudan The judges agreed that her stories stood out and ‘were impressively detailed, powerful as well as fearless and compassionate.’

Indian journalist, Shalini Nair, won the Local Reporter category. The stories, written for The Indian Express, ‘were compelling, interesting and well reported. They tackled important but under-reported topics deftly and thoughtfully.’

Wael Resol – 2018 Kurt Schork News Fixer Award Winner. This year’s News Fixer award was won by Syrian news fixer Wael Resol, who was nominated three times by international journalists who hired him as their fixer during assignments in Iraq.

John Beck, a British journalist based in Iraq, has won the Freelance category award for his reporting about the war in Western Mosul for Al Jazeera. The judges praised his stories for going “beyond the frontline and reporting about the innocent victims of war”, deemed to be in the spirit of Kurt Schork.

Makeen Mustafa – The 2017 news prize was inspired by the freelance journalist, author and friend of Kurt Schork, Anna Husarska, and pays tribute to the vital role that news fixers play in coverage from difficult, dangerous and hostile locations. 30 nominations from 11 countries were submitted to the category in total, with the award going to Iraqi news fixer Makeen Mustafa. Mustafa was nominated three times by international journalists working in Erbil who hired him as their fixer during assignments in Iraq.

New Delhi-based Indian journalist Soma Basu has won the Local Reporter category for her originality, attention to detail and impressive writing. The judges said: “tackling sensitive issues such as the skin trade and organ trafficking was risky and a story that had never been written about before”. Her winning stories were published by Indian media platform Youth Ki Awaaz and expose the harrowing ordeal of Nepali women who are trafficked and forced to sell their skin to supply Indian’s booming cosmetic surgery industry.

Iona Craig, an Irish journalist based in London, has won the Freelance category award for her undercover reporting of the most under-reported story in the Middle East for Al Jazeera America and The Intercept.

Rawalpindi-based Pakistani journalist Umer Ali has won the Local Reporter category for elegant and concise prose that does not shy away from unpopular issues.

Clair won the Freelance category award for her courageous stories about the Ebola outbreak published by Foreign Policy magazine, Newsweek and the New York Times.

Ekaterina Sergatskova won for her steely determination and endless curiosity amid great danger in the fighting in Eastern Ukraine. Her reports, which highlighted the human impact of the crisis through accounts from ordinary citizens, were published by Focus.ua and Esquire Ukraine.

Kenneth R. Rosen, an American journalist, is the winner of the Kurt Schork Freelance Award for his multifaceted investigative work.

Kyaw Ye Lynn from Myanmar is the winner of the 2022 News Fixer Award. In the wake of the military coup – and despite the junta’s tightened media restrictions for international reporters – Lynn worked in dangerous conditions to track down sources, verify information and recommend story angles to international news outlets that were covering the unfolding events from afar.