Journalists Iulia Hau, Sebastian Viskanic and Filippo Poltronieri received the award in Caserta, Italy, where their 13-minute documentary was screened for the first time. The ceremony closed a three-day programme of debates and commemorations held in Caserta and Villa Literno. The film is part of the cross-border project The Broken Bridge: How Legal Work Permits Lead to Slavery, which is supported by Journalismfund's European Cross-border grant programme, among others.
The prize honours Jerry Essan Masslo, a South African refugee and farm labourer who was murdered in the fields of Villa Literno in August 1989. His death became a national symbol of the fight against labour exploitation and racism in Italy, and gave impetus to the country's modern asylum legislation. This seventh edition focused on the theme "From 'protection' to 'remigration', from a Europe of 'rights' to a Europe of 'returns'".
Working across Bucharest, Rome and Dhaka, the team examined what happens to the migrant workers Romania recruits each year through government quotas to fill labour shortages. Many are pushed into irregularity soon after arrival, often because recruitment agencies and employers take control of their paperwork. Some later move on to countries such as Italy to seek asylum. Others remain undocumented in Romania, living in fear of deportation.
The journalists interviewed dozens of Asian workers, NGOs, lawyers, human trafficking experts, recruitment agencies and immigration officials, and requested statistical data from national institutions. Their findings point to a thriving visa market in countries of origin, recruiters and companies, including large European firms, profiting from migrants' legal vulnerability, and a Romanian government that prioritises deportation over investigating cases that could amount to human trafficking. The reporting also shows that Italy's stricter entry controls for people from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have not stopped the scams.
Because some of the people under investigation had previously been linked to document fraud without facing punishment, the team worked closely with lawyers throughout to verify their reporting.
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