The investigation found that Senegal’s EU-funded GAR-SI security force was used to crush protests over opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, leaving dozens dead and many more injured or arrested.
The investigation prompted calls in the European Parliament for a formal inquiry.
The jury commended Andrei Popoviciu and José Bautista, the two journalists behind How an EU-funded security force helped Senegal crush democracy protests, for their unflinching work exposing corruption and rights abuses in West Africa.
“The articles demonstrate how an elite unit — financed, trained and equipped for fighting cross-border crime — was used to suppress dissent in Senegal,” jury member Weber said.
“It is also a great example of how EU agencies that are supposed to uphold European values fail to do exactly this and also waste millions of euros.”