We are delighted to share some incredible news: Gabriela Ramirez and Tina Xu have been awarded the Fetisov Journalism Award 2024 for their powerful investigation, “Widowed by Europe’s Borders,” published by our cross-border newsroom, Unbias The News, as part of the Border Graves Investigation.
The award ceremony took place on April 22nd in Dubai, celebrating courageous journalism from around the world.
Gabriela and Tina’s work was honored in the “Outstanding Contribution to Civil Rights” category, recognizing their “poignant and devastating” reporting that explores the tragedy of the migration trail to Europe through the eyes of the women left behind. Their story reveals how families are shattered by the disappearance of loved ones — following one woman’s long search for her husband’s body in the dense forests of Europe’s latest migration frontier: the eastern border spanning Lithuania, Poland, and Belarus.
During her speech at the ceremony, Ramirez said:
“Journalism, at its best, is not about neutrality — it’s about humanity. Tonight is a reminder that journalism must stand for justice and human rights by holding power to account and by refusing to let suffering be normalized or invisible.”
Gabriela Ramirez
At Unbias The News, we couldn’t agree more. We are proud to be the publishers of this multiple award-winning piece, which continues to drive attention and advocate for justice and dignity for its sources.
“We are proud to be among the outlets that view the migration crisis for what it is: one of the central moral questions of our time. Ramirez and Xu’s harrowing and empathetic reporting centers the victims of a border regime that disregards human dignity, and has rightly received significant attention and recognition – news outlets that continue to amplify xenophobic narratives should take note.”
Tina Lee, editor-in-chief
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Ramirez and Xu for this well-deserved recognition, and our gratitude to the Fetisov Journalism Awards for uplifting journalism that drives change.
You can read “Widowed by Europe’s Borders” here. We also invite you to explore the larger Border Graves Investigation and the rest of the articles here.
If you would like to follow and support our journalism, visit unbiasthenews.org.
Learn more about the ceremony here
About The Border Graves Investigation
The Border Graves Investigation is a cross-border investigation by eight freelance journalists from across Europe in collaboration with Unbias the News, The Guardian, and Süddeutsche Zeitung. The team verified 1,015 unmarked graves across 65 cemeteries representing individuals who attempted to enter the EU and were laid to rest without identification along European borders in Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Spain, Italy, Malta, France, and Croatia.
The investigation as a whole has received multiple awards and recognitions. For example, the Special Award by the European Press Prize in June 2024 and the IJ4EU Impact Award in September 2024.