Afghan journalists under severe pressure and global organizations’ warnings

KABUL: The International Federation of Journalists has warned that media in Afghanistan is facing unprecedented repression after four years of Taliban rule, with journalists, particularly women, working under severe threats and censorship. In the past year alone, 172 cases of media rights violations have been recorded, and the number of female journalists has plummeted from 2,833 to 747. Reports indicate that over half of the country’s media outlets have shut down, while those that remain must publish content according to the strict orders of the Taliban. Arrests and security pressures against journalists continue unabated. Simultaneously, 51 groups representing human rights and Afghan civil society abroad have called from Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey for an end to the detention and expulsion of Afghan journalists, urging that the asylum process be expedited and their resettlement security guaranteed. The organizations have warned that ignoring the situation of journalists jeopardizes freedom of expression and the right to life.