Journalist Shot in Afghanistan, Gannon, to Receive Award

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Canadian journalist Kathy Gannon has been chosen for the Tara Singh Hayer Memorial Award, which recognizes a Canadian journalist whose work reinforces the principle of freedom of the press. Gannon, along with photographer Anja Niedringhaus, were shot at in eastern Afghanistan during an assignment in last April. Remembering the time when their parked vehicle was shot at by a police officer, Gannon thought she was dying and uttered to her long-time colleague: “I think we’re finished now.”

During an interview later, Gannon alleged that witnessing the extent of her injuries she believed she wouldn’t survive. She said that “I looked down and I couldn’t move, and my hand was separated from my wrist,” adding that “I looked over at Anja… and so much was going through my mind, and I remember saying ‘I think we’re finished now.'” At the time, Gannon urged their driver and translator to get to the nearest hospital.

Meanwhile, the veteran Associated Press journalist remembered to have started saying her goodbyes to family and friends. She said “I thought ‘I’ve had a good life; I’ve had a great life. I’ve been really lucky,'” adding that “and then I just closed my eyes and thought about my parents.” At the time, Gannon received six bullet wounds and survived, whereas Niedringhaus failed. Gannon will be honoured for her work on Wednesday night during the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Gala in Toronto.