Photo of protesters in Sudan wins World Press Photo
A photo showing protesters in Sudan was named the World Press Photo of the year 2020. The photo is titled "Straight Voice" and was taken by Yasuyoshi Chiba, press photographer for AFP. The World Press Photo Story of the Year was awarded to "Kho, the Genesis of a Revolt" by Romain Laurendeau.
"Straight Voice" shows a young man reciting protest poetry, illuminated by cell phone lights, in a demonstration during a blackout in Khartoum, Sudan. After dictator Omar al-Bashir's 30 year rule was ended by a military coup in April 2019, and a military government was established, residents continued to protest for power to be handed to civilian groups. In June of that year, government forces opened fire on protesters, killing many.
The authorities imposed blackouts and shut down the internet in an attempt to diffuse the protests, but demonstrators continued, communicating via text message and word of mouth.
The pro-democracy movement and military eventually signed a power-sharing agreement on August 17, 2019. The full story behind the photo can be found here.
"Kho, the Genesis of Revolt" documented the start of what became a nationwide challenge against the reign of long-time Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika. In February last year, thousands of young people from working-class neighborhoods took to the street in the first protest that turned into the nationwide revolt.
"It is the story of the deep unease of youth, who, by daring to challenge authority inspired the rest of the population to join their action, giving birth to the largest protest movement in Algeria in decades," World Press Photo said about the series. Find more details here.
