New Zealand photojournalist honoured in Amnesty International UK Media Awards

New Zealand photojournalist Robin Hammond has been named winner of two categories in the prestigious 19th annual Amnesty International UK Media Awards.

The coveted awards recognise excellence in human rights reporting and acknowledge journalism’s significant contribution to the UK public’s awareness and understanding of human rights issues.

The winners in ten categories were announced at a ceremony at the British Film Institute in central London earlier this week, hosted by ITV newscaster Katie Derham.

Winner of the Photojournalism category, Hammond’s piece ‘Toxic Jeans’, for the UK’s Sunday Times, exposed the human rights abuses in the garment industry.

In the Periodicals – Newspaper Supplements category, Hammond and Sunday Times Africa Correspondent, Dan McDougall, investigated claims that no human rights atrocities were being carried out in Zimbabwe’s eastern diamond fields. Their piece, ‘The return of the Bloody Diamonds’ was for Mail on Sunday’s Live Magazine.

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand’s Chief Executive Officer Patrick Holmes said:

“It is so inspirational to see a New Zealander honoured at an international level amongst such distinguished nominees. We applaud Hammond’s skill, tenacity and courage in his efforts to expose the unheard stories that need to be told.”

Hammond has won three Amnesty International Media Awards, including the 2009 Periodicals Category with Dan McDougall for a piece in the Observer Magazine, entitled ‘Why do the Italians hate us?’. He has become best known for his work on human rights and environmental issues. Hammond’s work has appeared in, amongst others, The New York Times, Newsweek, The Economist, The Guardian, The Observer Magazine, The Sunday Times Magazine, and The Sydney Morning Herald.
Hammond is based in Cape Town, South Africa and regularly works with Sunday Times Africa Correspondent, Dan McDougall.