Latest news with #CloseUp
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kenya activist gets bail after arrest over illegal possession of ammunition
A prominent Kenyan human rights activist has been freed on bail after he was charged with unlawful possession of ammunition over his alleged role in deadly antigovernment protests in June. Boniface Mwangi was charged by the police on Monday, two days after he was arrested and accused of possessing unused tear gas canisters, a '7.62mm blank round', two mobile phones, a laptop and notebooks. The courtroom was packed with hundreds of activists, some wearing Kenyan flags. 'They have no evidence,' Mwangi told reporters, describing his prosecution as 'a big shame'. His lawyer told Reuters news agency he was grateful to the court for agreeing to release Mwangi on bail. Kenya has been facing mass antigovernment protests across the country since last year – first against tax increases in a finance bill and later to demand the resignation of President William Ruto. Since the protests broke out, police have been accused of human rights abuses, including allegations of government critics and activists being abducted and groups said more than 100 people have been killed in the protests, which have been harshly suppressed. This month, at least 31 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a government crackdown on a protest. In June, at least 19 people were killed in a similar demonstration against Ruto. Police accused Mwangi, a former photojournalist, of 'facilitating terrorist acts' during the June protests and arrested him on Saturday. The activist denied the charges, saying in a social media post shared by his supporters: 'I am not a terrorist.' His arrest triggered a wave of condemnation online with the hashtag #FreeBonifaceMwangi going viral and rights groups condemning it. The search warrant police used to raid Mwangi's home, which an ally shared with journalists, accused the campaigner of having paid 'goons' to stoke unrest at last month's protests. However, 37 rights organisations and dozens of activists said they have not yet managed to prove that a judge had issued that warrant. Mwangi's arrest on 'unjustified terrorism allegations' represents an abuse of the justice system to crush the opposition, the organisations said in a joint statement. 'What began as targeted persecution of young protesters demanding accountability has metastasized into a full-scale assault on Kenya's democracy,' the groups said. In June last year, Al Jazeera's digital documentary strand Close Up profiled Mwangi during a ferocious police crackdown. He then said his nickname online was the 'People's Watchman' because he was striving to get justice for the families of protesters killed by who once ran for parliament on an anti-corruption platform, has been arrested multiple times in Kenya. He was arrested on May 19 this year in Dar-es-Salaam, neighbouring Tanzania's largest city, where he had travelled to support treason-accused Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Both Mwangi and a fellow detainee, award-winning Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire, accused the Tanzanian police of torturing and sexually abusing them while they were in custody. The pair have brought a case before the East African Court of Justice.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Al Jazeera wins two Peabody Awards for documentaries on Gaza war carnage
Al Jazeera Media Network has been honoured with two prestigious Peabody Awards, one of the most esteemed accolades in broadcast storytelling. The awards recognise the Al Jazeera English Fault Lines documentary The Night Won't End in the News & Documentary category, and the Al Jazeera English Digital film One Day in Gaza from the series Close Up, in the Interactive & Immersive category. The 85th annual Peabody award winners were announced on May 1, 2025, in advance of its annual ceremony in Los Angeles on June 1, 2025. The awards honour intelligent, powerful and moving stories told in broadcast and digital media. Al Jazeera English's Fault Lines documentary The Night Won't End uncovers the tragic human cost of war. It depicts the realities of the unrelenting Israeli bombing campaign on Gaza, the unsafe 'safe zones,' and arbitrary executions through the eyes of three families during the initial 15 months of the war. The film investigates the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who was waiting to be rescued from a car where her family members had already been shot dead. Two medics dispatched to rescue her were also killed, as verified by a forensic watchdog Al-Arian, executive producer of Fault Lines, stated, 'No single piece can fully capture the scale of the atrocities in Gaza, but we aimed through investigative journalism and on-the-ground storytelling to offer a glimpse of what life has been like. We are honoured by this recognition because it helps bring more attention to a continuing story the world needs to see. Though we filmed this over a year ago, the horrors we documented remain a daily reality for more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.' To date, The Night Won't End has garnered multiple awards, including in the coveted International Current Affairs category at the Royal Television Society Awards in the United Kingdom, the Overseas Press Club prize for best TV, video or documentary about international affairs, and the long-form award from the Centre for Information Resilience Open-Source Film Awards. The One Day in Gaza film from the series Close Up is a compilation of videos recorded by 10 individuals in Gaza, who were asked to document moments throughout their day, thereby helping viewers understand the immense hardships and constant dangers faced by Palestinians living under the constant bombardment in Gaza. Juan Carlos Van Meek, director of digital innovation and programming, expressed his gratitude for awarding the team the Peabody Award, stating, 'I am immensely proud of our team's relentless efforts in amplifying the humanity of Palestinians living in Gaza under constant bombardment. Through the brave voices of people on the ground, we have captivated millions of viewers and helped sustain global attention on the ongoing genocide, ensuring their stories are not forgotten.' The recognition of these documentaries underscores Al Jazeera's commitment to highlighting the profound human experiences amid conflict. As the situation in Gaza continues to unfold, The Network remains dedicated to shedding light on the stories that matter, ensuring that the voices of those affected are heard on a global platform.


Al Jazeera
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera wins two Peabody Awards for documentaries on Gaza war carnage
Al Jazeera Media Network has been honoured with two prestigious Peabody Awards, one of the most esteemed accolades in broadcast storytelling. The awards recognise the Al Jazeera English Fault Lines documentary The Night Won't End in the News & Documentary category, and the Al Jazeera English Digital film One Day in Gaza from the series Close Up, in the Interactive & Immersive category. The 85th annual Peabody award winners were announced on May 1, 2025, in advance of its annual ceremony in Los Angeles on June 1, 2025. The awards honour intelligent, powerful and moving stories told in broadcast and digital media. Al Jazeera English's Fault Lines documentary The Night Won't End uncovers the tragic human cost of war. It depicts the realities of the unrelenting Israeli bombing campaign on Gaza, the unsafe 'safe zones,' and arbitrary executions through the eyes of three families during the initial 15 months of the war. The film investigates the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who was waiting to be rescued from a car where her family members had already been shot dead. Two medics dispatched to rescue her were also killed, as verified by a forensic watchdog agency. Laila Al-Arian, executive producer of Fault Lines, stated, 'No single piece can fully capture the scale of the atrocities in Gaza, but we aimed through investigative journalism and on-the-ground storytelling to offer a glimpse of what life has been like. We are honoured by this recognition because it helps bring more attention to a continuing story the world needs to see. Though we filmed this over a year ago, the horrors we documented remain a daily reality for more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.' To date, The Night Won't End has garnered multiple awards, including in the coveted International Current Affairs category at the Royal Television Society Awards in the United Kingdom, the Overseas Press Club prize for best TV, video or documentary about international affairs, and the long-form award from the Centre for Information Resilience Open-Source Film Awards. The One Day in Gaza film from the series Close Up is a compilation of videos recorded by 10 individuals in Gaza, who were asked to document moments throughout their day, thereby helping viewers understand the immense hardships and constant dangers faced by Palestinians living under the constant bombardment in Gaza. Juan Carlos Van Meek, director of digital innovation and programming, expressed his gratitude for awarding the team the Peabody Award, stating, 'I am immensely proud of our team's relentless efforts in amplifying the humanity of Palestinians living in Gaza under constant bombardment. Through the brave voices of people on the ground, we have captivated millions of viewers and helped sustain global attention on the ongoing genocide, ensuring their stories are not forgotten.' The recognition of these documentaries underscores Al Jazeera's commitment to highlighting the profound human experiences amid conflict. As the situation in Gaza continues to unfold, The Network remains dedicated to shedding light on the stories that matter, ensuring that the voices of those affected are heard on a global platform.


Al Jazeera
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
Peabody awards two exclusive Al Jazeera documentaries on Gaza war carnage
Al Jazeera Media Network has been honoured with two prestigious Peabody Awards, one of the most esteemed accolades in broadcast storytelling. The awards recognise the Al Jazeera English Fault Lines documentary ' The Night Won't End ' in the News & Documentary category, and the Al Jazeera English Digital film ' One Day in Gaza ' from the series Close Up, in the Interactive & Immersive category. The Peabody announcement was made on 1 May 2025, ahead of its 85th annual ceremony in Los Angeles, on 1 June 2025. Al Jazeera English Fault Lines documentary 'The Night Won't End' uncovers the tragic human cost of war. It depicts the realities of the unrelenting Israeli bombing campaign, the unsafe 'safe zones,' and arbitrary executions through the eyes of three families during the initial 15 months of the war. The film investigates the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who was waiting to be rescued from a car where her family members had already been gunned down. Two medics dispatched to rescue her were also killed, as verified by a forensic watchdog agency. Laila Al-Arian, Executive Producer of Fault Lines, stated, 'No single piece can fully capture the scale of the atrocities in Gaza, but we aimed through investigative journalism and on the ground storytelling to offer a glimpse of what life has been like. We are honoured by this recognition because it helps bring more attention to a continuing story the world needs to see. Though we filmed this over a year ago, the horrors we documented remain a daily reality for more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.' To date, The Night Won't End has garnered multiple awards, including the coveted International Current Affairs category at the Royal Television Society Awards in the United Kingdom, the Overseas Press Club prize for best TV, video or documentary about international affairs, and the long-form award from the Centre for Information Resilience Open-Source Film Awards. The 'One Day in Gaza' from the series Close Up is a compilation of videos recorded by ten individuals in Gaza, who were asked to document moments throughout their day, thereby helping viewers understand the immense hardships and constant dangers faced by everyday Palestinians living under the constant bombardment in Gaza. Juan Carlos Van Meek, Director of Digital Innovation and Programming, expressed his gratitude for the team winning the Peabody Award stating, 'I am immensely proud of our team's relentless efforts in amplifying the humanity of Palestinians living in Gaza under constant bombardment. Through the brave voices of ordinary people on the ground, we have captivated millions of viewers and helped sustain global attention on the ongoing genocide, ensuring their stories are not forgotten.' The recognition of these documentaries underscores Al Jazeera's commitment to highlighting the profound human experiences amidst conflict. As the situation in Gaza continues to unfold, The Network remains dedicated to shedding light on the stories that matter, ensuring that the voices of those affected are heard on a global platform. The George Foster Peabody Award is given annually by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia to honor "distinguished achievement and meritorious service" by individuals, networks, stations, and organizations in the media industry.