European Press Prize 2016 The European Press Prize is an annual award programme that aims to salute and encourage journalism of the highest quality throughout the 47 countries of the Council of Europe. On Thursday the 14th of April 2016, the fourth edition of the ceremony took place at Forum 2000 in Prague. Quality journalism is of vital importance to healthy democracies, even more so in a time when information is omnipresent. As a consequence of a transforming and pressured market however, this quality has become increasingly difficult to maintain. The European Press Prize was founded by the Guardian Foundation, Vereniging Veronica, the Media Development Investment Fund, Jyllands-Posten and Politiken Foundation, the Thomas Reuters Foundation and the Democracy and Media Foundation in part to help counter the effects of these transformations. Journalists from all 47 countries of Europe are eligible to enter their work each year. The preparatory committee nominated 33 entries for the short list of 2015. Out of this list, the following impressive pieces of writing were awarded by the jury of the European Press Prize: The Innovation Award Killing and dying for Allah – Five Portugese Members of Islamic State Raquel Moleiro, Hugo Franco, Joana Beleza, published by Expresso, Portugal The Investigative Reporting Award Those who have been raped, raise your hand\ Marion Quillard, published by Revue XXI, France The Special Award The Wetsuitman Anders Fjellberg and Tomm W. Christiansen, published by Dagbladet, Norway In the Promised Land Amrai Coen and Henning Sussebach, published by Die Zeit , Germany Off to Europe Gert van Langendonck, published by NRC, The Netherlands The Distinguished Writing Award The Fear-Sick Ward Justyna Kopińska, published by Duzy Format (Gazeta Wyborcza), Poland The Commentator Award Gideon Rachmann Commentary Gideon Rachman, published by Financial Times, United Kingdom