2026 #IJ4EU Impact Award Jury Announced
The jury that will celebrate Europe's most impactful cross-border investigations has been introduced.
1Jury Chair and Participants
The 2026 #IJ4EU Impact Award jury will convene under the leadership of Leila Bicakcic, head of the Sarajevo Investigative Reporting Center. The jury will select three equal award winners at the UNCOVERED Conference in Budapest in September 2026. Jury members include Belarusian journalist Maryna Rakhlei, Turkish academic and journalist Can Ertuna, Ukrainian investigative reporter Oleg Khomenok, and Spanish journalist Neus Vidal Martí.
2Contributions of Maryna Rakhlei
Maryna Rakhlei, Senior Program Officer at the German Marshall Fund, leads efforts to strengthen Belarusian civil society and democratic resilience. With a background as a journalist in independent Belarusian media, Rakhlei has deep expertise in authoritarianism, civic movements, and the role of independent voices in democratic change. She is expected to bring this experience to the jury's deliberations.
3Can Ertuna's Journalism Career
Can Ertuna, Associate Professor at Bahçeşehir University's Faculty of Communication, has reported on wars, uprisings, and international conflicts for Turkish and international news organizations. His research focuses on the political economy of media, platform capitalism, and the relationship between war and media. Ertuna's expertise will add valuable perspective to the award evaluations.
4Oleg Khomenok's Experience
Oleg Khomenok, Senior Program Manager at Internews Network, has extensive experience managing and training investigative journalism projects across Eastern Europe and Eurasia. A board member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network, Khomenok also chairs Ukraine's Regional Press Development Institute. These experiences will significantly contribute to the jury's decision-making process.
5Neus Vidal Martí's Expertise
Neus Vidal Martí, Executive Director of Seek Initiative, provides training and support for citizens and journalists conducting public interest investigations. A journalist and political scientist specializing in access to information laws and media policies, Martí previously led media freedom violation monitoring at ECPMF. She will work with other jury members to establish award criteria.
6Award Purpose and Scope
The #IJ4EU Impact Award aims to recognize the most impactful cross-border investigative journalism collaborations across Europe. The award supports best practices in investigative journalism and encourages excellence in the field. The jury will evaluate submissions based on journalistic ethics, societal impact, and innovation criteria.
7UNCOVERED Conference
The award ceremony will take place at the UNCOVERED Conference in Budapest in September 2026. The conference will address topics including the future of investigative journalism, cross-border collaborations, and media freedom. The event will bring together journalists, academics, and civil society representatives from around the world, with winners presenting their work.
8Importance of Investigative Journalism
Initiatives like the #IJ4EU Impact Award highlight investigative journalism's critical role in democracies. Cross-border collaborative investigations contribute to understanding and addressing global issues. The jury's composition combines diverse expertise to enhance the award's prestige and impact, continuing to strengthen journalism's public service role.
Original article: linkedin.com — 2026 #IJ4EU Impact Award Jürisi Açıklandı