Kabul, Afghanistan: Today, the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) in collaboration with United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Nai (Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan), and United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) celebrated the World Press Freedom Day in Kabul, Afghanistan.
High-ranking government officials, journalists, civil society activists, diplomatic missions based in Kabul, and UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNESCO were in attendance. All keynote speakers highlighted the challenges to press freedom, journalists’ safety as well as the measures needed to overcome them. The event was in-person and virtual ensuring wider reach including the participation of the diplomatic missions in Kabul.
This day is celebrated at a time where a set of unprecedented challenges have gripped the media sector and the journalistic community in Afghanistan. Of particular note is the targeted killing of journalists, the perpetual barriers to access to information, and the overwhelming ongoing financial challenges that Afghanistan’s media face. Concerns about losing press freedom during peace talks have also been a major subject of debate among media workers and proponents of press freedom in Afghanistan and was also raised during the WPFD event. It was noted that these challenges have created existential threats to press freedom in Afghanistan, which has been one of the most notable achievements of the country in the past two decades.
“We are extremely concerned about the state of affairs, particularly the targeted killing of journalists and growing financial challenges of the media”, said Najib Sharifi President of Afghan Journalist Safety Committee (AJSC). “If we do not take concrete and meaningful measures to address these challenges, we could lose one of the greatest achievements of the past two decades”, added Mr. Sharifi.
Deborah Lyons, the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan remarked, “when any Afghan reporter is gagged or hurt, the media sector is wounded and Afghanistan itself is seriously damaged” and called for violence to abate and the impunity gap to be closed.
In the event, government officials including the second Vice President, His Excellency Sarwar Danish, reported the government’s measures and achievements with regards to protection of journalists and press freedom and the activities of the Joint Committee for the Protection of Journalists and Media. The Deputy Minister of the State Ministry for Peace also explained the measures they are undertaking to preserve press freedom during the peace talks.
The event also featured the grievances and hopes of the family members of those journalists and media workers who were recently killed in target killings. They expressed their concerns and dissatisfaction about the lack of effective and comprehensive investigation of the killing of their loved ones.
It is our fervent hope that as we celebrate this WPFD, and commemorate all those who have lost their lives in defense of press freedom, everyone will increase their efforts to guarantee press freedom and the safety of journalists as Afghanistan continues to embark on the path to peace.
