True Story Award 2024 goes to Rahul Bhatia
The first prize of the True Story Award 2024 goes to Indian journalist Rahul Bhatia. For two years, he followed a man in his fight for justice, meticulously, elegantly and with nuance. The journalism prize was awarded on Friday evening in Bern in the presence of Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider.
In "The Trials of an Indian Witness: How a Muslim Man was caught in Legal Nightmare", Bhatia tells the story of a man who wants to testify but is not listened to by the police or the courts, according to a statement from the independent foundation that awards the internationally oriented prize. It shows exclusion in India, the land of exclusion.
The second prize goes to Hannah Dreier for her story "The Kids on the Night Shift". In it, she describes the life of a child laborer in a slaughterhouse in the USA and reveals layers of social hypocrisy.
The third prize goes to Juan Martinez d'Aubuisson for "We, The Massacred". The journalist reportedly reconstructs a prison massacre of 46 women by rival inmates in Honduras. In doing so, he provides an extraordinary insight into the chronic problems of Latin America.
The two authors and the author beat 33 other nominees. All nominees presented their work at 40 events in Bern on Saturday and Sunday as part of the True Story Festival.
The True Story Award is said to be the first globally oriented journalism prize that is intended to serve as a role model and an incentive. It also aims to make the voices of reporters known beyond the borders of their home countries. (SDA/swi)
