Awards

2025

• OCCRP and media partners received multiple honors at the 2025 EPPY Awards from Editor & Publisher.

  • Our collaborative investigation with Schemes (RFE/RL), exposing a Russian doctor dubbed Dr. Evil won Best Investigative/Enterprise Feature.

  • Scam Empire, a joint project with SVT and 30+ media partners, won second place for three awards - Best Collaborative Investigative/Enterprise Reporting, Best Investigative/ Enterprise Video and Best Business Reporting.

  • The Steward Files, which exposed mismanagement and corporate greed by the health care operator, won third place for Best Collaborative Investigative/ Enterprise Reporting and Best Investigative/ Enterprise Video.

• OCCRP won the 2025 Maria Ressa Prize for Courage in Investigative Journalism from the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism, which said OCCRP had “developed an impressive track record of taking on many of the most important and dangerous investigative reporting projects in the world.”

• OCCRP and The Boston Globe won a 2025 Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism for the Steward Health Care investigation into how a private equity firm, real estate investors, and top executives drained billions from the hospital operator.

• The Shadow Fleet Secrets collaborative investigation led by Follow the Money, with OCCRP and more than a dozen news organizations as partners, won the 2025 Daphne Caruana Prize for Journalism. The cross-border project revealed how Western shipowners earned billions selling aging tankers to Russia to circumvent sanctions and sustain the county’s oil exports.

• The CNN Worldwide documentary “NarcoFiles: Tren de Aragua” won the Emmy Award for News & Documentary in the Outstanding Investigative News Coverage in Spanish category. The film was produced by CNN with support from OCCRP’s Latin America team as part of Narcofiles: The New Criminal Order— a global collaborative investigative project into modern-day organized crime and those who fight it.

• The Boston Globe's Spotlight Team, with contributions from OCCRP, received the following awards for the Steward Health Care series:

  • The 2025 Scripps Howard Journalism Award for Excellence in Business/Financial Reporting

  • The National Institute of Health Care Management Local Media award

• The Baku Connection, a cross-border investigation led by Forbidden Stories with OCCRP and 15 media partners, was awarded the 2025 European Press Prize Special Award. This project continued the work of Azerbaijan’s Abzas Media after several of its journalists were jailed. Judges praised the effort as “pure collaboration and solidarity in the profession.

• The Boston Globe, with contributions from OCCRP, was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in the Public Service category for its coverage of the financial mismanagement of Steward Health Care, exposing how corporate malfeasance, personal greed and government neglect led to compromised care and deaths.

• OCCRP received multiple honors at the 2024 Best in Business Awards from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. 

  • Dubai Unlocked, conducted in collaboration with over 70 media partners, won in the Data Journalism (Medium Division) category. 

  • Iraq’s Dollar Auction won in the International Reporting (Medium & Small Division) category.

  • Globe Spotlight: Steward Health Care series by the Boston Globe, with contributions from OCCRP, won the Investigative (Medium Division) category. 

  • How Private Equity and an Ambitious Landlord Put Steward Health Care on Life Support received an Honorable Mention in the Health/Science (Medium Division) category.

2024

• OCCRP and partners received a number of EPPY Awards from Editor & Publisher, which recognizes excellence in digital journalism. Wins include NarcoFiles: The New Criminal Order for Best Investigative Feature, Dubai Unlocked for Best Use of Data/Infographics, and the #FreeKyrgyz11 social media campaign for both Best Use of Social Media and Best Community Service Project.

• NarcoFiles: The New Criminal Order was selected for the Inter American Press Association’s In-Depth Journalism Award. The Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodística (CLIP), OCCRP, and 40+ media partners published the largest investigative project on organized crime to originate in Latin America.

• Syria: Addicted to Captagon was given the DIG Award for Best Film in the Investigative - Long category. This joint investigation by BBC Eye and OCCRP uncovered new direct links between the multi-billion dollar Captagon drug trade and senior members of President Bashar al-Assad's family and the Syrian Armed Forces. The jury called it, “a thrilling journey into a narco state manufacturing an epidemic across the Middle East.”

• Cyprus Confidential won the Institute for Nonprofit News Award for Journalism Collaboration of the Year and the 2024 TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting. OCCRP was a media partner in this project led by ICIJ that exposed how Cyprus helped Putin's inner circle shelter billions, fueling Russia’s war on Ukraine.

• Story Killers was given the IJ4EU Impact Award. A global exposé from Forbidden Stories, OCCRP, IRPI and a consortium of international outlets, this investigation highlights the shadowy world of disinformation mercenaries. 

• The Peter Lisagor Award for Best Investigative Reporting went to “Extremism in the Ranks,” an investigation by WBEZ Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times, and OCCRP.

• Senior MENA Editor Rana Sabbagh was given the International Center for Journalists Knight Trailblazer Award for her more than four decades building a vibrant investigative reporting culture in the Middle East and North Africa.

• South Asia Editor Anand Mangnale was given the Hans Staiger Investigative Reporting Award from the International Center for Journalists.

2023

• OCCRP was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Professor Wolfgang Wagner at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for its work "contributing to peace by unmasking political corruption and organized crime."

• 2023 EPPY Award (Best Collaborative Investigative/Enterprise Reporting) for The Rotenberg Files.

• Online News Awards 2023 Excellence in Collaboration and Partnerships for “Story Killers”.

• The 2023 Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service from The University of Missouri School of Journalism.

• Online News Awards 2023 Excellence in Visual Digital Storytelling, Medium Newsroom for “The Banality of Brutality: 33 days under siege in Block 17, Bucha, Ukraine”.

• The European Press Prize’s 2023 Innovation Award for The “Russian Asset Tracker”.

• 2023 Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW) Awards

  • Best in Business (Banking and Finance) for ‘Cyprus Confidential” - A collaboration of International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, OCCRP and Paper Trail Media Chinese.

  • Best in Business (Feature) for “‘Miracle Water’ Grifters Infiltrated the UN and Bribed Politicians to Build Pacific Dream City” - A collaboration of OCCRP and Marshall Islands Journal.

2022

GOLD HONOR: Shorty Impact Award, Best in News and Media

Russian Asset Tracker

"The Shorty Impact Awards is an international awards program dedicated to celebrating purpose-driven work from brands, agencies and nonprofits that make the world a better place."

WINNER: Allard Prize for International Integrity

Pavla Holcová, Central Europe Editor, OCCRP, and Founder, Investigate.cz

The Allard Prize for International Integrity is awarded to an individual, movement, or organization that has demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in combating corruption or protecting human rights, especially through promoting transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.

Watch a video on Pavla’s work.

WINNER: Editor & Publisher “Creative Visionaries” Class of 2022

James O’Brien, Head of Design

“I’m most motivated and inspired when working on projects that can have a lasting positive effect on the world… And at OCCRP, I’ve worked on global, multi-publication, collaborative investigations exposing organized crime and grand corruption — projects that have had tangible worldwide results. Knowing that the work I’m doing is creating positive change keeps me energized and passionate.”

WINNER: CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism

Anna Babinets, Ukraine Editor, OCCRP, and Founder, Slidstvo.info

“With this year’s award, the Central European Initiative (CEI) and the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) wish to convey a message of support to Ukrainian independent media which carry out their work with courage, efforts, quality reporting and persistence despite the challenges and threats caused by the Russian aggression to Ukraine.” Anna Babinets was selected for her extensive experience in, and commitment to, investigative reporting, as well as for her “current engagement in providing evidence of war crimes against Ukrainian civilians.”

WINNER: Editor & Publisher “25 Over 50” Class of 2022

Drew Sullivan, Publisher

“The 25 news media professionals…were nominated for their strong work ethic, transformational mindsets, commitment to journalistic and publishing excellence, and their ability to lead during challenging times.”

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Trace Prize for Investigative Reporting

An honorable mention went to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Reuters, the Times of Malta and Suddeutsche Zeitung for their investigation “Trail of Murdered Journalist’s Reporting Leads from Malta to China,” carried out as part of The Daphne Project led by Forbidden Stories.

A second honorable mention went to Zack Kopplin of the Government Accountability Project and Margaux Benn of Le Figaro for their investigation “How Afghanistan’s President Helped His Brother and a U.S. Contractor Secure a Lucrative Mineral Processing Permit,” published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.

WINNER: One World Media International Journalist of the Year

Miranda Patrucic, Deputy Editor in Chief, Central Asia and Regional

Miranda said in her acceptance speech, “This award is an important reminder that it’s not just about the stories we tell, it’s also about helping our colleagues reporting about their situation and to raise awareness of their important work.”

RUNNER UP: European Press Prize for The Investigative Reporting Award

Huge Quantities of Chinese Cigarettes Smuggled into Ukraine by Anna Myroniuk, Kyiv Post and Andrei Ciurcanu, OCCRP

2021

FIRST PRIZE: The Association of Journalists of Macedonia, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program, awarded the prizes on the topic: “Tackling air pollution – strengthening public awareness of problems and possible solutions.”

OCCRP member center Investigative Reporting Lab - Macedonia won first prize for its investigation: ‘Europe’s Waste Dump’: How Dangerously Polluting Oil Ended Up Heating North Macedonia’s Hospitals and associated documentary.

WINNER: PAVLA HOLCOVÁ WINS ICFJ KNIGHT INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM AWARD

Holcová received this award that honors “outstanding journalism that has an impact” for her body of work, including her investigation into the brutal murder of her colleague Ján Kuciak, which unmasked the perpetrators and contributed to the downfall of the Slovak government.

WINNER: “EPPY” AWARD FROM EDITOR & PUBLISHER

OpenLux wins best collaborative investigative/enterprise reporting (1 million or more unique visitors)

OCCRP, Le Monde, IRPI, McClatchy/Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald, IStories, Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, KRIK, Bivol, Investigace.cz, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Le Soir, Woxx, Piaui, Tempo, Armando.Info, La Nacion, Inkyfada.

Judges’ comments: Well-crafted and stylish with an interesting lens. The global connections are thoughtfully pulled and carried throughout. Appreciate the strong start of impact and outcomes.

WINNER: DAPHNE CARUANA GALIZIA PRIZE FOR JOURNALISM

The journalists from the Pegasus Project, coordinated by Forbidden Stories.

OCCRP was one of the 17 media organizations that reported this story ​​from an unprecedented leak of more than 50,000 phone numbers selected for surveillance by customers of the Israeli spyware company NSO Group. The stories in the Pegasus Project showed how NSO’s spyware has been systematically abused for years.

WINNER: IStories — The Investigative Reporting Award 2021 from the European Press Prize

Love, offshores, and administrative resources: How marrying Putin’s daughter gave Kirill Shamalov a world of opportunity

by Roman Anin, Alesya Marohovskaya, Irina Dolinina, Dmitry Velikovsky, Roman Shleynov, Sonya Savina, Olesya Shmagun, Denis Dmitriev, published by IStories and OCCRP

Last year, IStories gained access to thousands of emails sent and received by Kirill Shamalov — Vladimir Putin’s former son-in-law — that show the fantastic wealth and personal power that come with access to Russia’s first family.

WINNER: IJ4EU Impact Award

OCCRP led or was a partner in three out of the four winners of the IJ4EU Impact Award.

OCCRP investigations Troika Laundromat and Fraud Factory both won awards. Shaun Walker, the jury chair, said: “The Troika Laundromat was impressive for the sheer size of the team involved, matched by the size of the vast sums of money it was investigating.”

The jury hailed Fraud Factory as an “impressive piece of old-fashioned, cross-border journalism.” Walker said: “The Fraud Factory was a tenacious piece of work that put human faces to a sad story of cross-border fraud.”

OCCRP was a partner in The Daphne Project, led by Forbidden Stories, which picked up the unfinished work of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in October 2017 by a car bomb just steps from her home.

Walker said of the project: “We were all in agreement that The Daphne Project was a deserving winner, coordinating many journalists to continue Daphne Caruana Galizia’s work and having a clear and important impact.” 

WINNER: 2020 George Polk Special Award, Long Island University

A special award was presented to the late Regina Martínez of Proceso magazine and to Forbidden Stories — a global network of investigative journalists whose mission is to continue the work of reporters threatened, censored or killed — for The Cartel Project. OCCRP was part of the collaboration, which included 25 news organizations from around the world.

Eight years after the 2012 murder of Martínez, journalists followed her leads to link politicians to drug traffickers in the state of Veracruz. Reporters interviewed sources who had never spoken on the record, revealing how local authorities sabotaged the investigation into Martínez’s death and put a scapegoat behind bars without proof — a tactic similar to one used by the Greek government in the aftermath of George Polk’s murder.

2020

WINNER: SKOLL AWARD FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Drew Sullivan and Paul Radu accepted the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in an online global forum on April 2, 2020. Read the full announcement here.

Jeff Skoll, the founder and chairman of the Skoll Foundation, said: "The Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship shines a light on emerging leaders who fearlessly work in their own way to create a more sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous world for all."

WINNER: TWO “EPPY” AWARDS FROM EDITOR & PUBLISHER

OCCRP and partners Quinto Elemento Lab, Mexicanos Contra la Corrupcion y la Impunidad, and RISE Romania won two “EPPY” awards — one for best collaborative investigative journalism and one for best investigative video for the Riviera Maya Gang series. The judges said of the project: “An impressive exhaustive enterprise investigation, multinational scale through research and data analysis, a telling multimedia presentation.”

WINNER: 2019 TOM RENNER AWARD FROM INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS AND EDITORS

A joint team from OCCRP, RFE/RL's Radio Azattyk, and OCCRP member center Kloop won the top U.S. award for crime reporting for “Plunder and Patronage in the Heart of Central Asia,” a series of stories that expose a massive outflow of dark money from Kyrgyzstan. Read the full announcement here.

WINNER: THE SIGMA AWARD FOR BEST DATA-DRIVEN REPORTING (LARGE NEWSROOMS)

Jury's comment: In a field of strong entries, the substantial effort, investment and not inconsiderable risk in piecing this story together, were some of the factors appreciated by the jury in selecting the Troika Laundromat…The security and scrutiny undertaken for a project of this size is evident with real consequences for political leaders. The showcasing of detail in networks, locations and personalities embellished an already strong entry. This project in places read part thriller, part blockbuster, part spy movie. Do yourself a favour and dive in.

WINNER: ROMAN ANIN WINS ICFJ KNIGHT TRAILBLAZER AWARD

Roman Anin won the award for launching IStories (or “Important Stories”), an OCCRP member center and investigative news site that digs deeply into stories that are difficult to tell in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The new site’s goal, Anin said, is to “tell you about the real heroes who have changed the world around us for the better — whether it be a village, district or city — in spite of corruption and the arbitrariness of the state.”

FIRST PLACE: EGIZBAEV AWARD (KYRGYZSTAN)

OCCRP member center KLOOP

“Plunder and Patronage in the Heart of Central Asia”

SECOND PLACE: EGIZBAEV AWARD (KYRGYZSTAN)

OCCRP member center KLOOP

“Ataturk Park: Public Lands, Private Hands”

WINNER: ANTHONY LEWIS PRIZE FOR EXCEPTIONAL RULE OF LAW JOURNALISM

Pavla Holcová, Arpád Soltész, and Eva Kubániová received this award from the World Justice Project for "Kocner's World," their reporting on the businessman accused of masterminding the murder of their friend and colleague, 27-year-old Slovakian journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová.

WINNER: SLOVAK JOURNALISM AWARD

OCCRP’s data team received this award for establishing and managing “Kocner’s Library,” an archive named after the businessman who was tried for the murder of Slovakian journalist Ján Kuciak. After OCCRP received the police files and evidence from the official investigation, OCCRP’s data team safely archived, cataloged, and processed the files and set up the library. The evidence — including CCTV footage and the contents of dozens of seized computers from suspects and organized crime figures in the country — added up to 60 terabytes of raw data. The archive was made available to select journalists who used the data to further investigate Ján’s case as well as Slovakia’s government and judicial system in the continued push for justice.

FIRST PLACE: NATIONAL COMPETITION OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (Ukraine)

OCCRP Ukrainian member center Slidstvo.info

OCCRP Ukrainian member center Slidstvo.info won for the investigative film "I am a bot" by Vasyl Bidun, Yevhenia Motorevska, and Dmytro Replyanchuk. Bidun went undercover to get an inside look into bot farms in Ukraine aimed at influencing local elections.

SPECIAL AWARD: NATIONAL COMPETITION OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (Ukraine)

OCCRP Ukrainian member center Slidstvo.info

OCCRP Ukrainian member center Slidstvo.info won a special award for the investigative film "Prison of Opportunities," by Kateryna Lykhohlyad, which documents how some inmates were given special privileges for the right price — including leaving the facility for days.

2019

WINNER: KNIGHT INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM AWARD

Stevan Dojčinović, OCCRP editor and founder of OCCRP member center KRIK

WINNER: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S MEDIA FOUNDATION “COURAGE IN JOURNALISM” AWARD

Anna Babinets, OCCRP regional editor and Editor-In-Chief and co-founder OCCRP member center Slidstvo.Info

2018

WINNER: DIG AWARD, “KILLING PAVEL,” (ITALY)

OCCRP and member center Slidstvo.info

WINNER: INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS AND EDITORS MEDAL, “KILLING PAVEL”

OCCRP and member center Slidstvo.info

WINNER: INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION OF SERBIA INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM AWARD

OCCRP member center KRIK journalist Bojana Pavlovic 

WINNER: CEI SEEMO AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MERITS IN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM

OCCRP journalists Stevan Dojčinović and Dragana Peco and OCCRP member center CIN Bosnia and Herzegovina journalist Nino Bilajac

FIRST PRIZE: BEST USE OF MEDIA 3.0 TECHNOLOGIES FROM TVAPATUM (DIGISTORY)

OCCRP member center Hetq (Armenia)

2017

WINNER: PULITZER PRIZE FOR EXPLANATORY REPORTING, PANAMA PAPERS

OCCRP was among a number of media that shared the Pulitzer Prize for its work on the Panama Papers series. The Pulitzer Prize Board lauded the Panama Papers investigation for “using a collaboration of more than 300 reporters on six continents to expose the hidden infrastructure and global scale of offshore tax havens.” The award was bestowed on the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, McClatchy, the Miami Herald, Süddeutsche Zeitung and other international media partners for reporting on the project, including OCCRP Network.

WINNER: EUROPEAN PRESS PRIZE FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING, CINS

OCCRP network member CINS won the EPP for Investigative reporting for their work on stories that exposed corruption charges framed and then forgotten: “These revelations fulfil the most basic promise of investigative journalists to their readers: they lift the curtains of corruption and let the light shine in,” EPP judges said.

WINNER: FRITT ORD FREE MEDIA AWARDS

OCCRP partners MeydanTV and Armenian reporter Zaruhi Mejlumyan of Hetq were named winners of the 2017 Fritt Ord Free Media Awards paying “tribute to intrepid, independent journalism.”

HONORARY MENTION: EUROPEAN PRESS PRIZE FOR INNOVATION, ATLATSZO.HU

OCCRP network member Budapest-based Atlatszo.hu led by Editor-in-Chief Tamas Bodoky impressed EPP judges with an interactive map of European Union funds approved for Hungarian use – and seeing what became of the money. “The judges found it both involving and horrifying.”

WINNER: LITHUANIA INVESTORS’ FORUM “BUSINESS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR”

Sarunas Cerniauskas, investigative editor for OCCRP network member 15min.lt, was honoured as “Business Journalist of the Year” by the Investors’ Forum of Lithuania for his record of reporting seeking transparency and holding business and political leaders accountable.

WINNER: VILNIUS UNIVERSITY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM

Vilnius University’s Faculty of Communications and Journalism bestowed Sarunas Cerniauskas, investigative editor for OCCRP network member 15min.lt, with the Award for Excellence in Investigative Journalism, the first of its kind in Lithuania. The faculty plans to give the award our annually to “the most deserving investigative journalist whose activities made the greatest impact on society.”

WINNER: NUNS ONLINE INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM PRIZE, MAKING A KILLING

OCCRP and Balkan Investigative Reporting Network’s (BIRN) ‘Making a Killing’ won the online investigative journalism prize organized by the Independent Society of Journalists in Serbia (NUNS). BIRN also won the print media award for the same project. In addition, OCCRP network member CINS also won the NUNS online investigative journalism prize for exposing that the governor of the National Bank of Serbia plagiarized her thesis. OCCRP network member KRIK also received special recognition at the NUNS ceremony for its Database of Serbian Politicians’ Assets.

2016

Winner: 2016 EU Prize for Journalism

Studio Monitor's Nino Ramishvili and Giorgi Mgeladze won the EU Prize for Journalism in the category of ‘Best Investigative Audio or Audiovisual Story in Broadcast or Online Media’ for their video report "Agent provocateur in service of the government 2”. Their reporters Tskriala Shermadini and Giorgi Mgeladze also received an honourable mention for “Sacrificed to the hard work“ and one more honourable mention went to Natia Chekheria and Nana Biganishvili for their report “Police system against a citizen”.

Winner: Oxfam Food Award

Hetq reporter Tatev Khachatryan was declared the winner of Armenia’s branch of Oxfam’s Food Safety and Nourishment competition in the category of Internet reporting.

Winner: 'Suitcase 2016' Annual Media Competition

Armenian Hetq reporter Yeranouhie Soghoyan won first prize at the “Suitcase 2016” annual media competition on key migration issues in the print media category.

Winner: Two COAF Media Awards

Hetq reporter Naira Hayrapetyan won two media awards in a competition organized by the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF).

Winner: Four Awards at the annual journalistic gala held in Bucharest - November 2016

The first place for investigative reporting went to Ana Poenariu of RISE Romania for her series on Gabriel Oprea the former vice prime minister. The second place went to Rise Romania/Rise Moldova for their work on the Panama Papers. The first place for TV&Video for the OCCRP documentary Clear Cut Crimes, was awarded to Romana Puiulet. The main award for the night also went to RISE Project/Romana Puiulet for the same OCCRP/RISE documentary-Clear Cut Crimes. Finally, there was an honorary award for local reporting for RISE Moldova, for their work on elections.

Winner: UNDP Award for Investigative Reporting

Reporter Jasna Fetahović from the Center for Investigative Reporting in Sarajevo (CIN), together with  reporters from RISE Moldova, Dumitru Lazur and Olga Ceaglei, as well as the regional editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Report (OCCRP) Miranda Patrucić, have become the recipients of the third award for investigative reporting as granted by UNDP Moldova.

Winner: Inaugural Trace International prize

OCCRP won the inaugural Trace International prize for reporting on bribery with Wall Street Journal.

Winner: Four Digistory Awards

OCCRP partner HETQ won four awards at the Digistory Conference in Yerevan, Armenia.

Winner: World Summit Awards

Digital databases of the Center for Investigative Reporting in Sarajevo have been declared one of the five best digital projects in the category of online media and journalism by the World Summit Awards (WSA). CIN’s databases about politicians’ property holdings, public procurement and energy resources of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) have been acknowledged at the world level for its quality among nearly 400 submissions from 86 countries.

Winner: IRE 2015 Tom Renner Award

OCCRP reporters and editors, including many working both inside and outside Azerbaijan, have been awarded IRE's 2015 Tom Renner Award recognizing outstanding crime and corruption reporting for The Khadija Project, in which OCCRP continued the work of our then-jailed partner Khadija Ismayilova.

Winner: UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2016

Awarded to then-jailed OCCRP partner and RFE/RL Azerbaijani reporter Khadija Ismayilova “in recognition of her outstanding contribution to press freedom in difficult circumstances.”

Winner: Golden Shovel Award (Sweden)

OCCRP reporter and regional editor Miranda Patrucic, OCCRP/RFE/RL's Khadija Ismayilova and representatives of SVT and Swedish news agency TT were recognized with Sweden’s prestigious Golden Shovel award for their work on Telia Sonera’s activities in Azerbaijan.

Winner: Serbian National Award for Investigative Reporting

Stevan Dojčinović and Dragana Peco from KRIK and Atanas Tchobanov from Bivol won the Serbian National Award for investigative reporting for 2016 for investigative stories on Sinisa Mali, mayor of Belgrade.

Winner: Pulitzer Memorial Award (Hungary)

Atlatszo was awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Memorial Award, the Hungarian prize for quality journalism,  the most prestigious journalism award in the country, named after Hungarian-born journalist Joseph Pulitzer. Atlatszo was its sole recipient for 2016.

Winner: Sozial Marie Award (Austria)

Awarded to Atlatszo for the creation of an online tool, KiMitTud, implemented to provide easier access to important public information and in recognition of the initiative’s innovative nature and social impact. 

Winner: “Best Investigation of the Year,”Honor of the Profession Award 2016 (Ukraine)

OCCRP partner Lyubov Velychko was recognized in Ukraine for her investigation into Kalush chemical clean-up.

2015

Received Honors: ACCOUNT Awards

Aladin Abdagić received honors for the best corruption reporting in 2015 from the Anti-Corruption Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina (ACCOUNT) in Sarajevo.

Winner: The Sergei Magnitsky Human Rights Award

The OCCRP was honored in the very first Sergei Magnitsky Human Rights Awards for “outstanding investigative journalism.” OCCRP’s Paul Radu, executive director, and Novaya Gazeta's Roman Anin accepted the award given to journalists who had done the most in the Magnitsky case.

Winner: Global Shining Light Award

Global Shining Light Awards were awarded to OCCRP for Unholy Alliances. Miranda Patrucic (OCCRP), Dejan Milovac (MANS), Stevan Dojčinović (KRIK), Lorenzo Bodrero (IRPI), and Lejla Camdzic (OCCRP) were the reporters on the project. The jury also honored the OCCRP-linked project YanukovychLeaks, which exposed the corruption of the former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. OCCRP's Armenian partner Hetq were among the finalists for its 2013 story Cyprus Troika exposing the suspicious dealings of an offshore company based in Cyprus that used the church, state and business sectors to further its interests.

Winner: EU Investigative Journalism Prize (Montenegro)

Awarded to OCCRP reporter Miranda Patrucic and MANS reporter Dejan Milovac for "Unholy Alliances," which was published in Montenegrin dailies Vijesti and Dan. The investigation reveals the connection between politics, business and organized crime in Montenegro.

Winner: EU Investigative Journalism Prize (Macedonia)

OCCRP journalists Saska Cvetkovska and Pavla Holcova have been awarded the European Union investigative journalism prize for 2014’s best investigative story from Macedonia. Cvetkovska and Holcova were honored for their story The Landlord Spy, which probed the assets of Macedonia’s then-chief of secret police, Saso Mijalkov.

Winner: Dusko Jovanovic Foundation (Montenegro)

Stevan Dojčinović of KRIK, Serbia, took the second prize for his project on alleged Balkan drug-lord, Darko Saric.

Winner: Josh Friedman Excellence in Investigative Journalism

Three Georgian reporters were bestowed this award for their investigations: OCCRP reporter Nino Bakradze for her story on the botched investigation of the murder of a forest ranger; Nino Zuriashvili of OCCRP/Studio Monitori also won this award for her video story on TB patients who were declared terminal in Georgia but were later cured in France; and Studio Monitori reporter Giorgi Mgeladzefor a TV story he did on the Georgia postal service.

Winner: The Theodore Heuss medal from Theodore-Heuss-Stiftung (Germany)

Atlatszo was awarded this prize “for its outstanding contribution to a clean and lively civil society on the road to a peaceful development of democracy in Hungary.”

Winner: Tvapatum 2015 – Stories about Change

Hetq won medals in three categories: Investigative Reportage (Ani Hovhannisyan and Marine Madatyan), Best Use of Reforms (Zaruhi Mejlumyan), and Best Use of Technology (Ani Hovhannisyan and Narek Aleksanyan).

Winner: Press Freedom Award

The National press club honored Khadija Ismayilova of Azerbaijan.

Winner: John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award of The National Press Club (United States)

OCCRP/RFE/RL reporter Khadija Ismayilova won the US National Press Club’s most prestigious press freedom award in 2015.

Winner: PEN Award

The US PEN association of writers honored Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova with the 2015 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award for her hard-hitting investigations revealing corruption at the highest levels of power in Azerbaijan.

Winner: Swedish National Press Club Award

Khadija Ismayilova was honored with the Swedish National Press Club's Freedom of Speech award for 2015. The award commemorates slain Russian reporter Anna Politkovskaya.

Finalist: IRE 2014 Tom Renner Award

OCCRP was named a finalist for IRE's Tom Renner award, for the project Unholy Alliances. This was the first occasion on which OCCRP was nominated as an organization, as opposed to having individual journalists nominated. All but 2 of the 70 finalists covered US-related topics.

Winner: 2015 Universal Rights “Media Excellence” Award (Armenia)

OCCRP/Hetq reporter Zaruhie Medjlumyan was honored with this award at the 2015 Universal Rights awards ceremony in Yerevan, Armenia, for her professionalism and coverage of the rights of those sentenced to life imprisonment.

Winners: Fritt Ord Foundation and Zeit Foundation Press prize

The 2015 Fritt Ord Foundation and the ZEIT Foundation Press Prizes for Russia and Eastern Europe were awarded to six courageous journalists and media outlets from Russia, Ukraine and Georgia. The winners included OCCRP member Slidstvo.Info and the journalists Serhiy Harmash and Valentyna Samar from Ukraine (with both of whom OCCRP collaborates), along with OCCRP partner Netgazeti.ge from Georgia.

Winner: European Press Prize Special Award

Unexpectedly, a special award was given to the OCCRP, described by judges as “a memorably motivated, determined force for good everywhere it operates. Its members do not get rich, but the societies they serve are richer and cleaner for the scrutiny that only true, independent journalism can provide.”

Winner: Alison Des Forges Award of Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch (HRW) awarded the Alison Des Forges Award for extraordinary activism to Azerbaijani investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova. The award celebrates those who risk their lives to protect the rights and dignity of others.

Finalists – European Press Prize

The OCCRP had two stories shortlisted for the investigative reporting category: The Russian Laundromat series (which launched large-scale investigations in the United Kingdom, Moldova and Russia) and the Unholy Alliances project from 2014.

Winner: Annual Award for Best Investigative Reporting

The MediaPedia project created by a team including OCCRP member Saska Cvetkovkska won the annual award for best investigative reporting given by the Macedonian Association of Journalists.

Winner: Freedom of Expression Award

OCCRP member Atlatszo.hu won the Freedom of Expression 2015 award given by the Index on Censorship, in the category of digital activism.

Winner: EU Prize for journalism in Georgia

Reporter Nana Biganishvili working for OCCRP’s Georgia partner Studio Monitori was awarded for an OCCRP-assisted report on citizens’ efforts to block development in Tbilisi’s Vake Park. As a result of this and other stories and public protests, the development project is currently on hold.

Winner: Georgian Charter of Journalism Ethics prize

Another Studio Monitori reporter, Tskriala Shermadini, won a prize for an OCCRP-assisted report on how some diesel gasoline being sold in Georgia far exceeded pollution standards.

Winner: Macedonia Institute for Media Award

Saska Cvetkovska of NOVA received the third prize under the category "Best investigative story for 2014" for a story on pollution and cancer cases.

Recognized: Macedonia Institute for Media

SCOOP Macedonia’s Marija Mitevska and Vladimir Kalinski were also recognized in the category "Best investigative story of 2014."

2014

Winner: Macedonia Institute for Media Award.

Mence Toci from NOVA TV won the second prize under the category "Best investigative story of 2013" for an OCCRP-supported story on industrial pollution.

Winner: USAID Best Investigative Story Award

Joint research by CIN Sarajevo and CINS (Serbia) on the purchase of international awards won the Best 2014 Investigative Story awarded by the American Embassy in Serbia and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS).

Winner: European Citizen Prize (European Parliament)

The European Parliament awarded Atlatszo with the European Citizen Prize describing it as “one of the last bastions in Hungary which stands for the freedom to hold opinions and to receive an impart information without interference by public authorities.” 

Awarded to Iurie Sanduta, reporter of then-Ziarul de Garda and now-director of RISE Moldova for his story on the Moldavan Forest Mafia.

Winners: M100 Media Award

The international media conference M100 Sanssouci Colloquium concluded with the bestowal of the M100 Media Award on the Mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, and on YanukovychLeaks reporters Natalie Sedletska and Kateryna Kapliuk.

Winners: BOBS Award

The YanukovychLeaks team from Ukraine received the “Best of Online Activism” (The BOBs) award from German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, in the “Reporters Without Borders” category.

Winner: 2014 Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism

OCCRP partner Kyiv Post won this award for superior journalism throughout the publication’s history.

Special Mention: SEEMO

YanukovychLeaks team member Anna Babinets of Slidstvo.info, Ukraine, received a Special Mention at the 2014 South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) award ceremony, for her reporting from the Kyiv barricades.

Winner: SEEMO Award

South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) honored three interns of CIN Sarajevo with the Award for Outstanding Journalism, in the category of Young Professionals. Their story on foster families led to a new law.

Winner: USAID Journalism Award

The same story was recognized by USAID in Bosnia and Herzegovina, under its project Strengthening Government Institutions and Processes in BiH (SGIP BiH).

Recognition: “100 Information Heroes”

Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organization focusing on freedom of expression and information featured Assen Yordanov of Bivol/OCCRP and Khadija Ismayilova on their list.

Winner: ACCOUNT Awards

OCCRP member CIN, Sarajevo, was recognized at the Bosnia and Herzegovina Anti-Corruption Civic Organizations Unified Network (ACCOUNT)’s annual journalism awards ceremony for the fourth time. Reporters Aladin Abdagić and Mubarek Asani jointly received the best video award and Aladin Abdagić received the best investigative story award. Both stories led to police investigations and one man was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Winner: Media Excellence prize

OCCRP’s Armenian partner www.hetq.am won the “Media Excellence” prize at the 2014 Universal Rights ceremony held in Yerevan for its professionalism in the field of investigative journalism and in exposing human rights issues.

Winner: Freedom of Speech Prize

Hetq received the Freedom of Speech Prize for its disclosures of offshore accounts and related issues. The Prize was presented by “Asparez” Club of Journalists (Armenia).

Winner: Georgia’s Best TV Story of the Year

Studio Monitori journalist and OCCRP partner Nana Naskidashvili’s investigative story “Tabatskuri Lake and the Trouble of Fishermen” was named the best TV story of the year by the Republic of Georgia’s Civil Society Institute.

Winner: Lielais Kristaps Film Festival awards

Re:Baltica’s Arta Giga saw ‘Modris’, a film by her Red Dot media company, honored for best debut and best actress as well as receiving the audience award. The film premiered in the Toronto International Film Festival and received special recognition in Spain’s San Sebastian film festival. (Director Juris Kursietis received the “Silver Prometheus” at the Tbilisi International Film Festival.)

Winner: Biodiversity Prize

This is the second year in a row that OCCRP’s Bulgarian partner Bivol was awarded the prize for environmental journalism by the Foundation “Biodiversity.”

2013

Winner: Global Shining Light Award

Khadija Ismayilova and Nushabe Fatullayeva (Baku), together with Czech journalists Pavla Holcova and Jaromir Hason were acknowledged for uncovering the questionable dealings of the Azeri President’s family.

Winner: Knight International Journalism Award

In November, OCCRP reporter and Novaya Gazeta journalist Roman Anin received the 2013 Knight International Journalism Award.

Winner: SEEMO Professional Journalist Award

Mahir Šahinović (CIN Sarajevo) was acknowledged for uncovering an international stock exchange scam. Mahir also gained an award from the Open Society Foundation that enabled him to attend the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Finalist:  2013 Global Shining Light Award

Miranda Patrucic, Valerie Hopkins, and Drew Sullivan were nominated for their two-year “First Family, First Bank” investigation  of how Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic exploited his control over the government to benefit himself, siblings and friends.

Contributed to second Global Shining Light Award winner

Swedish Television was acknowledged for revealing corruption in a deal between Swedish telecom TeliaSonera and the daughter of Uzbek President Islam Karimov. OCCRP’s Miranda Patrucic and Roman Anin were acknowledged in the story for their role.

Finalist:  Daniel Pearl Award 2013

OCCRP’s “Proxy Platform” project uncovering the nest of companies used for draining billions from Russia, was one of six finalists for Outstanding International Reporting.

Winner: Independent Journalism Center “Top 10 Journalists of 2013” Prize (Moldova)

Awarded to Iurie Sanduta, reporter of then-Ziarul de Garda and now-director of RISE Moldova.

Finalist: European Press Prize 2013

Paul Radu, Mihai Munteanu, Luke Harding, Ion Preașcă, Iurie Sănduță and Cristi Ciupercă were nominated for the series titled “A Murderer’s Trail”.

Finalist:  Gannett Foundation Award 2013

OCCRP’s “Following the Magnitsky Money” investigation  was a finalist for the Innovative Investigative Journalism awards.

Winner: Jurg Grizelj Award

Stevan Dojčinović of OCCRP/CINS (Serbia) won Serbia’s top investigative award, for exposing organized crime.

Winner: NUNS investigative award

CINS also won the NUNS (Independent Association of Journalists, Serbia) investigative journalism prize for a story on public transport.

Winner: Anti-Corruption Network Award

CIN (Bosnia and Herzegovina) won Bosnia and Herzegovina’s top investigative journalism award for a story on the indirect taxation authority that led directly to investigation by Bosnian prosecutors.

Winner: UNICEF 2013 prize for promotion and protection of children’s rights

Renata Radić-Dragić of CIN won this prize for a story on how local children deal with dual alphabets.

Special Mention: UNICEF 2013 prize for promotion and protection of children’s rights

Aladin Abdagić of CIN was specially mentioned by UNICEF under the same category.

Winner: Josh Friedman Prize

Studio Monitori (Georgia) and OCCRP partner Nanka Naskidashvili was awarded for a video report investigating failed water distribution projects.

 Winner: National Contest held by Transparency International

Studio Monitori won two awards: Giorgi Mgeladze was awarded first prize for investigating a member of parliament who seized control of a prime ski area. Tskriala Shermadini won second prize for investigating deception concerning new type of corn which resulted in catastrophic harvests.

Winner: Best Journalism on Bulgarian Wildlife

Bivol/Бивол investigated the "absorption" of lucrative public lands by people close to power.

2012

Winner: USAID Award for Investigative Journalism

The US Embassy in Serbia & Independent Journalism Association of Serbia (NUNS) Award recognized CIN and CINS under the Investigative Journalism 2012 for series of stories on “Project Copic”.

Winner: Knight International Fellowship

Roman Anin, OCCRP's lead reporter on Following the Magnitsky Money, qualified for this prestigious fellowship.

Winner: Google & Global Voices Breaking Borders Award

Awarded to OCCRP Hungarian partner Atlatszo.

Winner: International Women's Media Federation Courage in Journalism Award

Khadija Ismayilova received this award for reporting under duress.

Winner: Gerd Bucerius Prize for Free Press in Eastern Europe

Khadija Ismayilova received this award from the ZEIT Foundation, Germany.

Finalist: IRE 2011 Tom Renner Award

OCCRP/Khadija Ismayilova were nominated for three stories on The Hidden Wealth of the Azerbaijani President.

Ranking in The Atlantic’s Brave Thinkers of 2012

Khadija Ismayilova was ranked at no. 2

Finalist: European Press Prize

A team led by Paul Radu and Mihai Munteanu was nominated for The Proxy Platform project.

Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Journalism

Renata Radic, of CIN Sarajevo, received the international social media award.

Winner: Thompson Reuters Foundation and Media Center Sarajevo

Mirjana Popovic of CIN received Thompson Reuters Foundation & Media center Sarajevo Award for Best Story on Governance and Corruption, 2012.

GIPA Friedman Prize

Nana Biganishvili of Studio Monitor received this for an investigative report revealing Tbilisi City Hall’s non-transparent spending and money laundering.

Winner: Medal of Commendation

The Council on Trafficking Issues awarded Hetq with a medal of commendation for its on-going coverage of human trafficking and ways to prevent it.

Winner: Hrant Dink Freedom Award

This was presented by The Armenian Bar Association to Edik Baghdasaryan of Hetq in acknowledgment of his heroic defence of Liberty and Free Speech in the service of the people of the Republic of Armenia

SOME AWARDS WON BY OCCRP AND ITS MEMBERS IN 2011 & PREVIOUSLY

• NUNS Award for Investigative Reporting

• Time for Free Press Prize (Armenia)

• The ITS Prize: Young Journalists Against Corruption

• Whitman Bassow Award (Overseas Press Club)

• The Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding Investigative Reporting

• Global Shining Light Award for Investigative Reporting Under Duress

• The Knight International Journalism Award

• First Prize for Best Investigative Film of the Year (Internews Armenia)

• “Environment and Human Rights” for Journalists First prize (OSCE)

• The Overseas Press Club Award (with ICIJ)

• IREX Moldova “Special Mention” for Promoting Investigative Journalism

• IREX Moldova “Young Journalists Against Corruption” Prize Winner

• The Tom Renner Award for Crime Reporting

• Investigative Reporters and Editors (with ICIJ)

• The first ever Global Shining Light Award

• The Transparency International Integrity Award

• USAID award for the best investigative journalism series (Serbia)

• Freedom of Speech Prize (Armenia)

• "Special Mention", For Promoting The Investigative Journalism Which Approaches The Corruption Phenomenon Under Various Thematic Aspects (Iurie Sanduta)

• “Defender of Armenia Freedom”