There have been at least 447 documented cases of violations against journalists and media outlets since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AfJC) said in a press release on Saturday.
The violations include three deaths, numerous threats, incidents of violence, and more than 220 cases of arbitrary arrests.
“This escalating trend of repression poses a serious threat to the fundamental principles of free expression and public discourse in Afghanistan,” the media watchdog said.
Over the last twenty years, more than 120 journalists and media personnel, including 20 women, have lost their lives due to their work, but a prevailing culture of impunity has resulted in most of these cases remaining unsolved.
The press release also reported an unprecedented increase in restrictions and pressures on journalists and media personnel in Afghanistan over the past three years.
The AfJC warned that the ongoing culture of impunity for crimes against journalists, along with the increasing pressures and restrictions imposed on the media, will have devastating consequences for society and the development process in Afghanistan.
The media watchdog urgently calls upon the Taliban to ensure justice for victimized journalists and to respect the fundamental rights of journalists and media.
“We call upon the Taliban authorities to take decisive action to ensure accountability for crimes against journalists, to cease all repressive measures against media personnel, and to revoke regulations that unduly limit media freedom,” the AfJC said.
