Lisbon, 5 June 2026 – Journalist Barbara Matejčić has received the Special Award of the European Press Prize for her investigation “Killing for the Photo”, which examines one of the most famous and controversial photographs taken during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The award-winning investigation, published by Novosti and BIRN, raises questions about the circumstances surrounding photographs of the execution of civilians Husein Kršo and Hajrudin Muzurović in Brčko in 1992, taken by Belgrade-based photographer Bojan Stojanović. The images received the prestigious World Press Photo award in 1993 and for decades remained a symbol of war reporting from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In its citation, the jury noted that nearly three decades later, Matejčić asked questions that had remained unanswered: How was a photographer able to document a murder from such close range? Why did the perpetrator allow it? And did the presence of the camera in any way influence the event being recorded?
As part of her investigation, Matejčić interviewed nearly thirty sources, including the photographer, the perpetrator, members of the victims’ families, Reuters editors, and members of the 1993 World Press Photo jury. She also examined court records, war crimes documentation, and media archives spanning the last three decades.
The European Press Prize recognition comes just one month after the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) and the BH Journalists Association (BHJA) submitted a formal request to the World Press Photo Foundation seeking the withdrawal of the award granted to Bojan Stojanović. The two organisations also called for a formal apology to the families of Husein Kršo and Hajrudin Muzurović, citing newly revealed information about the circumstances under which the photographs were taken and the serious ethical concerns they raise.
The request stressed that the newly uncovered facts warrant a re-examination of the professional and ethical responsibility of all actors involved in the creation, distribution and recognition of photographs documenting war crimes.
By receiving one of Europe’s most prestigious journalism awards, Barbara Matejčić’s investigation has gained additional international recognition for its contribution to understanding war crimes, media accountability, and the ethical boundaries of war photography.
This year’s European Press Prize winners were announced in Lisbon. The jury emphasized that the awarded works represent examples of persistent and responsible journalism that challenges official narratives, uncovers hidden facts, and creates space for public debate on issues of lasting social importance.
Alongside Barbara Matejčić, this year’s European Press Prize winners include Dutch journalists Maud Effting and Willem Feenstra of De Volkskrant, who received the Distinguished Reporting Award for their investigation into the treatment of wounded children in Gaza; the Spanish investigative team from Civio, which won the Innovation Award for its reporting on melanoma-detection algorithms; Irish journalist Michael O’Farrell, recipient of the Investigative Reporting Award for his long-term investigation into the concealment of child sexual abuse; the international team of journalists from Solomon, Republik and WAV Recherchekollektiv, which won the Migration Journalism Award; and German journalist Kerstin Kohlenberg of DIE ZEIT, who received the Public Discourse Award for her analysis of the rise of the far right in Germany.
The organisers also announced that the next European Press Prize application cycle will open in autumn 2026. Each of this year’s winners received €10,000 to support the development of a personal journalism project.
BH Journalists Association
Photo credits: Vida TV
