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Russian ambassador assassination photo wins prestigious award

Mevlut Mert Altintas shouts after shooting Andrei Karlov, right, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, at an art gallery in Ankara, Turkey.

Mevlut Mert Altintas shouts after shooting Andrei Karlov, right, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, at an art gallery in Ankara, Turkey. Photo: Burhan Ozbilici/AP

A fearless photographer has told how he “got in closer” to capture the moment an off-duty policeman assassinated Russia’s ambassador to Turkey at an Ankara art gallery.

The resulting photographs have won Associated Press photo-journalist Burhan Ozbilici the prestigious World Press Photo award.

The Turkish journalist was covering an art exhibition in December last year when off-duty police officer Mevlut Mert Altintas first stood behind, and then shot and killed, Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov.

world press photo

Mevlut Mert Altintas shot Andrei Karlov, Russia’s ambassador, at the Ankara gallery. Photo: AP/Burhan Ozbilici

Despite the chaos and danger around him, Ozbilici said he felt it was his responsibility to stay and capture the news.

“When the gunman shouted ‘Allahu Akbar,’ I was really scared because I wasn’t sure if there were others with him who would go on to shoot innocent people, as had happened in so many places before,” he said in a statement published by World Press Photo.

“As he moved a little bit away, I got in closer to get in a better position to photograph him.”

Andrei Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, speaks at an art gallery before being shot by Mevlut Mert Altintas.

Andrei Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, speaks at an art gallery before being shot by Mevlut Mert Altintas. Photo: AP/Burhan Ozbilici

A reporter of 28 years with AP, he said he recognised the gravity of the situation as it played out.

“I remember thinking: ‘I might be killed or injured, but the Russian ambassador has been shot. This is very big news, so as a journalist it is my responsibility to stand and do my work,'” Ozbilici said.

Awards were also handed out in categories including Contemporary Issues, Daily Life, Sports, Nature, News and People.

Australian photographer Daniel Berehulak took out the general news stories prize for his work in Manilla, Philippines, covering President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, which was published in the New York Times.

‘Taking a Stand in Baton Rouge’

photos

Reuters photographer Jonathan Bachman took out the best single contemporary issues photo for his shot depicting an activist facing up to riot police. Photo: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters/World Press Photo

‘Caretta Caretta Trapped’

Francis Perez's nature award winning photo shows shows a sea turtle entangled in a fishing net swims off the coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Photo: Francis Perez

Francis Perez’s nature award-winning photo shows shows a sea turtle entangled in a fishing net swims off the coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Photo: Francis Perez

Grand National Steeplechase

Tom Jenkins, of The Guardian, won best sports photo for this image of jockey Nina Carberry flying off her horse during the Grand National steeplechase. Photo: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

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Australian photographer Daniel Berehulak took out the general news stories prize for his work commissioned by The New York Times. This image shows six-year-old Jimji crying before workers move the body of her father in Manila, Philippines. Photo: Daniel Berehulak

Australian photographer Daniel Berehulak took out the general news stories prize for this image showing six-year-old Jimji crying before workers move the body of her father in Manila, Philippines. Photo: Daniel Berehulak

 

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