Two local newspapers that have published stories about efforts to save asylum seekers from deportation from Scotland are among the nominees in an annual awards competition celebrating journalism about asylum and refugee issues.
The Fife Free Press and the Greenock Telegraph are battling it out for the Local Press title at the Refugee Week Scotland Media Awards.
The story in the Fife Free Press concerned Kishor Dangol, a 48 year-old who lived in Kirkcaldy for 12 years and who was ordered back to Nepal, despite a petition signed by 1,200 people demanding he be allowed to remain and letters of support from senior politicians.
Meanwhile, the Greenock Telegraph carried a series of articles about Glasgow University student, John Oguchukwu, who was sent back to Nigeria from Inverclyde despite a local campaign and protests from MPs.
Both stories have been shortlisted for the awards from what the organisers describe as “an exceptionally strong” field.
The awards are being hosted by the British Red Cross, in conjunction with the Scottish Refugee Council and the National Union of Journalists. The winners are to be announced on Friday at Glasgow’s Tron Theatre.
A new Special Award, sponsored by NUJ Scotland, to be presented annually, has been added to the list. The winner will be named on Friday.
Refugee Week is described by the organisers of the media awards as “a UK-wide celebration of the contribution made to society by people who come to this country as refugees and asylum seekers”, with the Refugee Week Scotland Media Awards further described as being “designed to recognise and encourage fair, accurate and constructive reporting of issues affecting asylum seekers and refugees in Scotland”.
The shortlist reads:
National print (News):
Martyn McLaughlin, The Scotsman
Craig McDonald, Daily Record
National print (Features):
Kathleen Morgan, The Herald Magazine
Chitra Ramasway, The Scotsman
Local print:
Greenock Telegraph
Fife Free Press
Photography:
Colin Mearns, Evening Times
Angela Catlin, The Herald Magazine
Broadcast:
To be announced on the night
Special award (sponsored by NUJ Scotland):
To be announced on the night
