ai reporter wins 05 AFP Kate Webb Prize

Thai reporter wins 2015 AFP Kate Webb Prize Thai investigative journalist Mutita Chuachang will receive the 2015 Kate Webb Prize from Agence France-Presse (AFP) for her independent reporting on human rights including Thailand's draconian use of the royal defamation law, the award's administrators announced Tuesday.

06 Oct 2015

Mutita is the assistant editor of the non-profit online newspaper Prachatai (http://www.prachatai.com/, http://www.prachatai.com/english/), where she has worked since 2004. Mutita's painstaking reporting has sought to make a record of all of those accused of breaching the law despite the challenges posed by the opacity of the Thai legal system as well as the wider social taboo that cloaks the subject.

We are recognising Mutita for her efforts to present a balanced, in-depth coverage of sensitive topics in Thailand, which can be difficult in an extremely dynamic political environment, said Philippe Massonnet, AFP's regional director for the Asia-Pacific region.

The prize, which includes a grant of 3,000 euros ($3,400), recognises Asian journalists for exceptional work in dangerous or difficult conditions.

It is named after New Zealander Kate Webb, one of AFP s finest correspondents, who died in 2007 at the age of 64. Webb earned a reputation as a fearless reporter while covering the Vietnam War and other historic events in Asia during a career spanning four decades, including stints in Thailand and its immediate neighbours.

I am very moved and honoured to receive the Kate Webb Prize, 33-year-old Mutita said. But the prize is not about me, my organisation or even about the team who contributed to these stories. The important thing is that it draws attention to this difficult time for human rights in Thailand. When we wrote these stories we were not thinking about being courageous we all just felt that it was something we had to do and my organisation Prachatai was incredibly supportive.

The prize is administered by the AFP Foundation - a non-profit organisation set up to promote press freedom through training journalists in developing countries - and the Webb family.

We are delighted that a Thai reporter has won the prize this year. The Indochina region was special to Kate, said Webb's sister Rachel Miller.

Last year's winner was multimedia journalist Patricia Evangelista from the Philippines. The prize was first awarded in 2008 to Pakistani reporter Mushtaq Yusufzai for his coverage of the dangerous tribal lands bordering Afghanistan.

Other winners were Indian reporter and photographer Dilnaz Boga, Indonesian journalist Stefanus Teguh Edi Pramono, and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

About the Prize

Born in New Zealand, Kate Webb earned a reputation as a fearless reporter while covering wars and other historic events in Asia during a career spanning four decades. She made her name in Vietnam and also worked in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, India, South Korea and the Middle East. She was known for her kindness and compassion and became a mentor to younger Asian journalists.

The prize is administered by the AFP Foundation a non-profit-making, organization set up to promote press freedom through training journalists in developing countries and by the Webb family. It was first awarded in 2008.

About AFP

AFP is a global news agency delivering fast, accurate, in-depth coverage of the events shaping our world from conflicts to politics, sports, entertainment and the latest breakthroughs in health, science and technology. With 2,326 staff spread across almost every country, AFP covers the world 24 hours a day in six languages. AFP delivers the news in video, text, photos, multimedia and graphics to a wide range of customers including newspapers and magazines, radio and TV channels, web sites and portals, mobile operators, corporate clients as well as public institutions.

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