[4 December 2014] – At the annual Australian Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism held in Sydney tonight, the joint Four Corners, ABC TV and The Australian documentary – Stone Cold Justice – won the best award for investigative journalism for 2014. According to the Walkley Foundation’s website:

 

“John Lyons and Sylvie Le Clezio, based in Jerusalem, have been writing about and photographing Palestinian children before Israel’s military justice system for five years. For this report, they teamed with Four Corners and spent 15 days in the occupied West Bank following the cases of four children to uncover how two systems operate – one for Palestinian children and one for Jewish children. A Palestinian child accused of throwing stones is taken, usually at night and by heavily armed soldiers, not allowed to have a lawyer or parent present at their interrogation, and tried before a military tribunal. An Israeli child is summoned during the day and attends a civil court in Israel.”

 

“They examine the case of Fathi Mahfouz, 15, who says he was shackled to a wooden structure for hours until it snapped. They also tell the story of Adele Biton, a three-year-old Jewish girl with brain damage from rocks thrown by Palestinians. The program explained the conflict in human terms and created enormous interest in both Australia and Israel.”

 

“Judges’ comments: Four Corners and The Australian delivered a joint investigation that provides a balanced insight into how justice is practised with children of the West Bank. The program reveals there are two legal systems operating – one for Israeli children and one for young Palestinians. Carefully researched and with interviews with key Israelis and Palestinians, reporter John Lyons constructed the program carefully to ensure representation and perspectives from both sides. This was absolutely compelling TV and print journalism.”

 

In October 2014, Stone Cold Justice also won two United Nations Association awards including best TV documentary.