Washington, DC (October 14, 2023)— The Indian American Muslim Council, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today announced the winners of the annual Human Rights and Religious Freedom Journalism Awards at the IAMC National Convention 2023 in Dallas, Texas.
Extraordinary and in-depth reporting covering the systematic targeting of religious minorities, the Hijab ban, and the weaponization of technology against Muslim women were among the stories that earned top honors at the award ceremony on Saturday, October 14.
“We established these awards to shine a blazing spotlight on stories that often go unreported or underreported. In a year marked by relentless challenges, where media in India grapples with unprecedented pressures, HRRF’s 14-member international jury has selected winners who dare to speak truth to power. The resilience of these journalists and their unwavering dedication to the values of truth and justice resonate even louder in these turbulent times,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC
“Today, we celebrate the unwavering commitment of these exceptional journalists. Through their extraordinary dedication, they have illuminated the path to a more inclusive and harmonious world. These stories have not only won awards but have also won hearts, for they shed light on the issues that matter most to our shared humanity,” Ahmed added.
This year, we received more than 200 entries across five categories.
Here is the list of winners across different categories:
Best Text Reporting on Human Rights & Religious Freedom (Joint Winner)
Shaheen Abdulla (The Wire)
No Country for Religious Converts
Sneha Richhariya (India Spend)
‘Can I have blue eyes?’: An Acid Attack Survivor’s Journey To Regain Vision
Scare of the Scars: Acid Attacks and Skin Scarring
How India’s Health System Fails Acid Violence Victims
Best Photo Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom (Winner)
Meer Faisal (Al Jazeera/Maktoob)
India town mourns burning of historic library at Muslim school
110-year-old madrasa and library set ablaze by Hindutva mob during Ram Navami rally in Bihar
Photos: Burnt by Hindutva mob and bulldozed by BJP govt; Muslim lives in Khargone
Photos: Thousands of Muslim women pray during protests against eviction in Uttarakhand
Best Video Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom (Joint Winner)
Fatima Khan (The Quint)
Death Threats, Lost Friendships, Ruined Education—Human Cost of Karnataka’s Hijab Ban
Naman Govil (Vice News)
I Was Listed ‘For Sale’ on a Fake Auction Site | Violation
HRRF Young Journalist of the Year Award 2023 (Winner)
Aakash Hassan
Uighur siblings in India jail since 2013 face deportation threat
‘Bulldozer politics’: Modi’s demolition drive fuels Muslims’ fears in Kashmir
‘Foreigners on our own land’: ethnic clashes threaten to push India’s Manipur state into civil war
India’s bridge to Kashmir: Path to prosperity or tool of control?
‘Hatred, bigotry and untruth’: communal violence grips India
Best Media Organisation Covering Human Rights and Religious Freedom Journalism (Winner)
Maktoob Media
