Award for film barred by BBC and Channel 4

The makers of a controversial film about deaths in police custody have criticised the BBC and Channel 4 for refusing to broadcast it after it won a major new award.

Injustice, in which serving officers are identified as alleged killers, provoked debate when first screened last summer in defiance of objections from the Police Federation. Only a handful of cinemas were brave enough to show the film after 13 of the officers identified threatened to sue.

Among those interviewed in the film are relatives of Joy Gardner, Brian Douglas and Shiji Lapite, all of whom died in custody under circumstances their families regard as suspicious. Now Injusticehas received the best documentary prize at a new awards ceremony organised by the annual Black Film-maker International Film Festival.

News of the accolade has led the makers of the film to accuse the BBC and Channel4, who are among the festival's sponsors, of a dereliction of their public service duty.

"It's appalling that the BBC and Channel 4, which prides itself on exposing injustice, have refused to show the film," said co-director Ken Fero.

A Channel 4 spokesman said: "Our lawyers' view is that the film could not be broadcast without attracting indefensible libel claims."