Swiss journalist wins award for war reporting two years running
Maurine Mercier, a journalist for Swiss public radio, RTS, has won this year’s Bayeux Prize for war correspondents in the radio category.
Mercier, who also works for France Info, was awarded the prize for “La double peine d’une mère victime de viols à Boutcha en UkraineExternal link” (The double punishment of a mother who was raped in Bucha in Ukraine). The first part of this report had already won her the Bayeux Prize last year.
Mercier is the first Swiss journalist to win this international prize. For her report, she also received the Jean Dumur prize and was named Swiss Journalist of the Year in April.
“Thank you for this prize, you’ve given me – someone who constantly lacks bravery – a bit of a boost,” Mercier said. “I often work far from the front lines because it scares the hell out of me and I want to give the witnesses time, but I would like to pay tribute to all those who are on the front lines right now.”
+ ‘You can’t cover a war from afar,’ says Swiss reporter in Ukraine
The other main prizes went to Siegfried Modola (photo, independent), Anthony Loyd (print, The Times) and Nick Paton Walsh, Brice Lainé, Natalie Galloné and Etienne Dupont (television, CNN).
They were rewarded respectively for reports from Burma, the Middle East, Ukraine and Haiti, “following debates that were both interesting and difficult”, according to jury chairman and photojournalism legend Don McCullin, quoted in a press release issued at the awards ceremony on Saturday evening.
+ Maurine Mercier named Swiss journalist of the year
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