The awards was first held in 2018 to honor Khaled Alkhateb, the RT Arabic freelance reporter who died covering the Syrian fight against Islamists in April 2017. The contest honors those who "strive to shed light on the complexities and ramifications of armed conflict" in the hope that, with the help of this knowledge, peace is possible.
This year’s "Best Video Journalism From a Conflict Zone" award went to Ghazi Al-Aloul, of Jordanian television channel Roya, for a series of reports from war-ravaged Gaza. The series, titled "Gaza Consequences," highlights evacuation challenges, attacks on civilians and the health care disaster.
Sergei Prudnikov, of Russian newspaper Izvestiya, excelled in the "Best Written Journalism From a Conflict Zone" category with a series of articles from Donbas that offer a unique perspective on the challenges faced by civilians and their undying hope.
Sebastian Salgado, of Argentine news website Data Urgente, won the "Best Humanitarian Video Journalism" for his "Tango de Libertad en Lugansk" ("Tango of Liberty in Luhansk") documentary series that he shot in August 2022. The documentary sheds light on everyday struggles of people in the breakaway regions of Ukraine, which have been coping with struggles of war since 2014.
The "Best Humanitarian Written Journalism" award was given to Sara Salloum, of Lebanese news channel Al Mayadeen English. Her article, titled "The Guns Fell Silent," explores the diverse challenges faced by Syria, from child malnutrition and labor to economic hardships stemming from blockades.
The winners will each receive a monetary prize of 200,000 rubles ($2,178).