1 Dec 2017

Kiwi journalist Yasmine Ryan remembered

From Afternoons, 1:15 pm on 1 December 2017

Yasmine Ryan reported from some of the world's most dangerous regions for organisations like Al Jazeera and The New York Times. After news of her death in Istanbul, a former colleague pays tribute.

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Photo: Middle East Institute

Yasmine was a naturally curious and vivacious person who cared deeply about injustice, says her former Al Jazeera colleague Tarek Bazley.

Tarek worked with Yasmine at Al Jazeera English in Qatar.

She'd spent the last decade travelling and touching lives, he says.

"She was one of those people who are just delightful to spend time with. She was so passionate about the craft that she'd chosen – journalism – but so easy to get on with."

Yasmine got interested in North Africa while completing her Masters in the French city of Aix-en-Provence, then became the go-to reporter in Tunisia and Libya in 2011-12.

Her focus was always on reporting injustice and giving voice to the voiceless, he says.

"She cared so much about the people she met along the journey."

Self-care isn't often considered in relation to journalism, Tarek says.

"You are sometimes like the emergency worker or the doctor in ER. You are dealing with horrible things on a day in-day out basis and you do at some point have to take care of yourself."

Yasmine was working as an editor for the multimedia news organisation TRT World at the time of her death.

"It's a huge loss for anyone who wants to understand the world a little better."

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