Syrian female journalist wins EU award
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A Syrian female journalist won on Tuesday the Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press that was presented by the European Union (EU).
Hadeel Arja, 39, won the EU award for an investigation entitled “The Shocking Practice of Forced Puberty in Northern Syria’s Camps” that was published on March 15, 2024 in Daraj Media and Tiny Hands.
Arja’s investigation sheds light on one of the most under-reported abuses that girls face in internally displaced people’s camps in northern Syria.
The Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press ceremony is held annually in Beirut by the EU Delegation to Lebanon and the Samir Kassir Foundation.
The award was founded by the EU and is recognized internationally as a flagship prize for press freedom and the most prestigious journalism award in the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf States.
It is named after Lebanese journalist Samir Kassir who was assassinated on June 2, 2005 in Beirut.
Two other journalists, one from Egypt and the other from Yemen, won the award, as it is presented for three categories; Opinion Piece, Investigative Article and Audio-visual News Report.
The winner in each of the three categories is awarded a prize of €10,000. Each of the short-listed finalists per category receive a €1,000 prize.