Tributes have been pouring in for the legendary photojournalist Paul Conroy who died following a heart attack on February 28. Acclaimed for his skills behind the lens, Paul was also a documentary maker and author known for his courageous war reporting, particularly in Syria and Ukraine.
Paul was awarded the prestigious Journalists’ Charity Special Award in 2019 for his dedication to reporting, specifically for his efforts to expose the situation in Syria following the death of his colleague, Marie Colvin in 2012.
Paul was critically injured in the attack that killed his Sunday Times colleague Marie Colvin and French photojournalist Rémi Ochlik during the siege of Homs. Smuggled out of Syria alongside fellow journalist Édith Bouvier, he endured five months in hospital in the UK, undergoing 23 operations on his leg as well as surgery to his abdomen and back.
Paul documented his ordeal in ‘Under the Wire’, a searing account of survival, journalism and the moral imperative to bear witness. In 2018, the book was made into a movie, starring Jamie Dornan as Paul. ‘A Private War’ introduced a wider audience to the realities freelance journalists face in war zones.
Paul served as a judge for the Amnesty Media Awards and supported the organisation’s work for press freedom and with his military background he brought a unique perspective to conflict photography.