By: Rukhshana Media
Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) said in a report released Tuesday that it has recorded at least 245 cases of violence against journalists and media workers since the Taliban returned to power one year ago.
The report said roughly half of 600 media outlets have ceased operation due to the lack of funding, the restrictions imposed by the Taliban, and the emigration of media workers from the country.
Of 245 cases of violence, two were attributed to ISIS-K terror group, which carried out a deadly attack at Kabul Airport during the evacuation operation in August 2021, killing as many as 170 civilians including two journalists.
The Taliban were behind most cases of violence including detentions, physical violence, and threats, according to the report.
At least 130 media workers have been detained. The time they spent in detention varied, from one hour to several hours, days, weeks and months.
The report added that three journalists are still held in the Taliban captivity.
At least 80 journalists have been threatened, and 28 have been physically assaulted, and five were wounded between August 2021 and August 2022.
AFJC said the Taliban have also limited media’s access to information, imposed unprecedented restrictions on journalists, making it difficult for them to work independently.
