Category: World Service
Date: 12.06.2006
Printable version
The BBC World Service programme Message
from Mavembo, has won the One World
Media Radio Documentary Award.
The programme, broadcast in December 2005, investigated what had become of Muhnto
Mavembo, an asylum seeker from the Democratic Republic of Congo who was deported
back there from the UK on 11 January last year.
Nothing had been heard of
him since. Mavembo had told the Home Office he would be at risk of imprisonment
and torture if not granted political asylum.
The jury praised programme-maker Jenny Cuffe for investigating a rarely-covered story.
It said her report asked challenging questions of the
European Commission and other authorities and also showed courage
as she tracked down former asylum seekers to hear their stories of
torture and abuse at first-hand.
Jenny Cuffe did find Mavembo. He was living in hiding, too scared to talk.
The jury said: "The programme is a call to action, a torch that shines the brightest light on an issue that is often ignored."
Message from Mavembo won a Silver Sony Award in May. The programme was produced
by Andy Denwood.
Notes to Editors
Other BBC winners at the One World Media Awards were:
TV Documentary: Children of Beslan (Ewa Ewart, Leslie Woodhead, BBC TWO);
New Media: Africa Lives on the BBC (BBC);
Local Media: Gambia Hospital (Paul Baker, BBC East);
MDGs Award: Show Me the Money - African School (Nicki Stoker, Lion TV for BBC FOUR);
Children's Rights: Running for your Life - African School (Sarah Hamilton, Lion TV for BBC FOUR).
