Today, marking World Press Freedom Day, the Human Rights Press Awards in Asia announced the 2024 winners and runners-up. The seven categories of awards are administered by Human Rights Watch, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, and the foreign correspondents clubs in both Thailand and Taiwan.
Among the top winners are reporting on the rising number of suicides among Afghan women living under abusive Taliban rule; the persecution of religious minorities in Myanmar; and the Chinese government's treatment of White Paper protesters who stood up against Covid-19 lockdowns.
"The Human Rights Press Awards recognize journalists who are uncovering some of the most pressing rights issues in Asia," said Tirana Hassan, executive director at Human Rights Watch. "In an era in which rising authoritarianism generates autocratic leaders and mass disinformation, the role of journalists in exposing the truth is more critical than ever. We are thrilled to honor these courageous reporters."
The seven categories of awards include the newly created "Newsrooms in Exile" category, as well as commentary, print, photography, video, audio, and multimedia. The winners will be honored at a ceremony in Taipei hosted by the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club (TFCC) on May 10, 2024.
"We are honored once again to be administering the Human Rights Press Awards," said Dr. Battinto L. Batts, Jr., dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. "As part of our Cronkite Global Initiatives, we are proud to help recognize outstanding human rights journalism throughout Asia and the world."
"It's no coincidence that many winning entries are examples of brave journalism from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Myanmar, places where reporting has become increasingly difficult and dangerous," said Thompson Chau, president of the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club. "The TFCC is honored to host the award ceremony in Taipei. Taiwan is an extraordinary place for a growing number of Asia-focused correspondents to live and work."
Frontier Myanmar and Zan Times shared the top prize in the inaugural "Newsroom in Exile" category for their reporting on Myanmar and Afghanistan, respectively. Frontier Myanmar's report uncovered the Myanmar military's oppression of the Bayingyi, Roman Catholics of Portuguese descent. Zan Times gathered data illustrating the dire reality of the growing numbers of Afghan women and girls choosing death as preferable to living under Taliban repression.
