Friday

29th Mar 2024

Journalist awarded for uncovering EU scandals

The former Brussels correspondent of German magazine Stern, Hans-Martin Tillack, has been awarded the 30,000 euro Leipzig "Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media" for his reports on corruption and democratic deficits within the EU institutions.

Mr Tillack was awarded the price jointly with famous American journalist Seymour M. Hersh, reporter for Financial Times Deutschland in Afghanistan and founder of the 'Free Press Initiative', Britta Petersen, and Russian expert on Chechnya, Anna Politkovskaya, who was poisoned in an attempt to stop her from publishing critical reports.

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  • The judicial battle between Mr Tillack and the EU authorities is still ongoing. (Photo: European Commission)

Following his story on corruption in the EU statistical office, Eurostat, in March 2004 Belgian police arrested Mr Tillack for allegedly bribing officials. His office was searched while he was detained and interrogated without being allowed to contact anybody.

The judicial battle between Mr Tillack and the EU authorities is still ongoing.

On 24 December, Mr Tillack appealed a decision by the EU Court of First Instance to not stop the European Commission and EU anti-fraud office from seeking to access the files that the Belgian police seized.

The Media Foundation of Sparkasse Leipzig is awarding the 'Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media' for the fifth time.

The award honours journalists and media that take great risks, show personal commitment, courage and democratic convictions to protect and foster the freedom of the press.

The prizes will be handed out at a ceremony on 28 April 2005 in Leipzig.

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