MediaLab Investigation: Asaad Zalzali receives prize for best investigation
Related project
MediaLab InvestigationThe Iraqi journalist was rewarded for his investigation into trafficking of medicinal products in his country, which was published on the Lebanese Daraj site and described as a “beautiful and thorough field investigation with many sources”.
Asaad Zalzali was awarded the prize for the best investigation published within the framework of the MediaLab Investigation project during the closing ceremony of the annual forum of ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism) on Sunday, 6 December.
During the virtual ceremony, Bissane el-Cheikh presented the prize directly to the 36-year-old Iraqi journalist. “Despite the difficult days in the midst of the pandemic, I am grateful and happy”, said Asaad Zalzali upon being selected, making a special effort to thank Hanène Zbiss, the cross-disciplinary expert who helped him to produce his investigation: “She is an excellent mentor. She provided me with a lot of support. Incidentally, this is the first time I've ever had a female mentor.”
His project was up against those of the other investigative journalists who were selected to take part in the MediaLab Investigation project. All these journalists were able to benefit from personalised support to produce their investigations in the area of health, including training sessions and a financial contribution to the costs of conducting the investigations.
This autumn, despite the additional obstacles created by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, six journalists published their investigations in the media, covering such diverse topics as women’s access to health care in remote areas of Tunisia, sickle cell anaemia in the Egyptian oases of Siwa and Bahariya, poor hospital management in Palestine and even trafficking of medicinal products in Iraq.
A jury composed of media professionals and investigative journalists specialising in health evaluated these investigations at the start of December against a set of predefined criteria. The jury, consisting of Bissane el-Cheikh, journalist, editor and trainer; Suha Sibany, chief editor for France 24’s magazines published in Arabic; Lise Barnéoud, independent investigative journalist specialising in health (Sciences et Vie, Le Monde, Mediapart); and Rozenn Le Saint, investigative journalist specialising in health, particularly for Mediapart, met and voted almost unanimously to award the prize to Asaad Zalzali for his investigation.
In his multimedia investigation, combining text, video and audio recordings, the Iraqi investigative journalist traces the route travelled by medicines subsidised by the Iraqi health ministry which, having been sold illegally, end up in the stalls of fake pharmacies and on the pavements used by street vendors, causing a serious shortage of treatment in public hospitals while endangering the population.
The Iraqi journalist will receive a cash prize of 2000 euros.
List of investigations published as part of the MediaLab Investigation project:
- IRAQ: Medicines out of control, published by Asaad Zalzali on Daraj
- TUNISIA: Breast cancer in Tataouine, published by Saïd Akrout on Radio Tataouine
- TUNISIA: Women as victims of psychological violence, published by Dorra Ben Abdelkader on TAP
- PALESTINE: Poor management of medical facilities, published by Wafa Arouri el-Wattan
- EGYPT: Sickle cell anaemia in the oases of Siwa and Bahariya, published by Shymaa Adel on el-Watan
- TUNISIA: Women in remote areas deprived of health care, published by Rakia Selmi on TAP
