On every continent mining giants try to hide dirty secrets
On every continent, journalists have faced difficulties investigating environmental issues. Since 2009, at least 13 journalists have been killed working on environment-related stories, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. CPJ is still investigating 16 additional deaths, so there may be as many as 29 cases. Other journalists were forced to shut down their newspapers. Many, constantly under threat, simply can’t work anymore, because they have been forced into hiding or can’t find news outlets willing to risk publishing their stories.
One subject is particularly perilous: documenting environmental damage by the mining industry. Green Blood is a project designed to finish work begun by some of these journalists shut down by the danger inherent in shedding light on one of the darkest and most destructive industries in the world.
Through this unique collaboration with 15 media partners, we investigated mining multinationals. We looked into a nickel mine in Guatemala, a gold mine in Tanzania and sand mining in India.
For eight months, we collected documents, testimonies and scientific samples, which revealed environmental damage and human rights violations. As a consortium, we shared our skills and knowledge to trace multiple supply chains, from the mines to end products consumed by individuals around the world.
By publishing the Green Blood Project all together at the same time in more than 25 countries, we are once again sending a powerful signal to the enemies of the free press: “You stopped the messenger, but you won’t stop the message.”
Green Blood
On every continent, journalists have faced danger and difficulty investigating environmental issues. Since 2009, at least 13 journalists have been killed after working on environment-related stories, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. CPJ is still investigating 16 additional deaths, so there may be as many as 29 cases.
The “Green Blood” series pursued the investigations of several reporters who faced threats when covering environmental damage and other abuses by mining companies.
Forbidden Stories Team
Project manager and editor: Laurent Richard
Project coordinator: Jules Giraudat
Reporters: Arthur Bouvart, Marion Guégan, Cécile Schilis-Gallego
Researchers: Paloma Dupont de Dinechin, Audrey Travère
Editor: Martha M. Hamilton
Video trailer:
Director: Alexis Marant
Video editor: Matthieu Lère
Video designer: Ludovic Gaillard, Mathieu Faure
Open source researchers: Bart Libaut, Youri van der Weide
Production team: Aurelien Baslé, Camille Gruson, Daphné Haussely, Constance Juilliard
Creation project visual: Paul-Emile Raymond and Adrien Mancel for Wunderman Thompson
They support us
Maria Ressa
2021 Nobel Peace Prize
“All they want in killing a journalist, or in attacking a journalist, is to stop the story.”
Can Dündar
Former editor of the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet
“It will send a very clear message to oppressive governments that if they touch a journalist anywhere in the world, many others will be ready to support and follow up their story.”
Khadija Ismayilova
Azerbajani investigative journalist
“What you are suggesting is creating a newsroom for journalists who have no press freedom. You will get fantastic stories.“
Matthew Caruana Galizia
Maltese journalist, son of slain reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia
“We couldn’t allow our mother’s stories to die with her. They were too important. For them to be forgotten would have been like killing her twice.“
Fabrice Arfi
Mediapart‘s head of investigations
“The finest project of investigative journalism, in solidarity against censorship.“
Sandhya Ravishankar
Indian journalist
“Now I know that Forbidden Stories will always have my back.”
Bastian Obermayer
2017 Pulitzer Prize winner
“Even if Forbidden Stories rescues just a handful of investigations that fall into a sort of limbo each time a journalist is jailed or killed, it will already be a great victory for citizens.”
Marina Walker
Executive editor at Pulitzer Center
“By working together, journalists can make it harder for censorship to win. We’re proud to support Forbidden Stories.”