ARIJ and Al-Manassa investigation “The Kalamata Trap: Hundreds Of Migrant Drown on Their way to Europe” by Sameh Ellaboody, and “The Gaza family torn apart by IDF snipers from Chicago and Munich” by ARIJ, The Guardian, Paper Trail Media, Der Spiegel, ZDF, Der Standard, and De Tijd, are named finalists for the 2026 True Story Award.
Five additional ARIJ investigations previously reached the award’s shortlist. These include ARIJ and The Guardian’s investigation “The Fangs of Israel.. How Europe supplies Israel with brutal canine weapons“, By Mahmoud ElSobky, with contributions from Aziza Nofal and Zareefa Hasan, “Freedom Deferred: Israel Hunts Down Its Released Prisoners” by journalist Asmaa Masalmeh, ARIJ, SIRAJ and Daraj investigation “Syria’s Captagon Empire.. From factories in Europe and India to Syria’s Fourth Division’s Laboratories” by Ali Al Ibrahim, Mohammed Bassiki, Ahmad Haj Hamdo, Mohammad al-Skaff (Siraj), Musab Al-Yassin, Ahmed Ashour (ARIJ), and Hala Nasreddine (Daraj), ARIJ and Al-Muhajer investigation “The Human Trap.. Sudanese refugees falling prey to organized criminal gangs on the border with Egypt” by journalists Salma Abdul Aziz and Ihab Zaidan. In addition to these, the Gaza Project, has also been shortlisted in the European section of the award.
The winners will be announced during the True Story Festival in Bern, Switzerland, on June 5, 2026.
The True Story Award is a the first globally-oriented journalism prize aims to set an example to motivate journalists all over the world and to strengthen them in their work.
