The Afghanistan Journalists Center has recently announced that in the past two decades, around 130 journalists and media workers — including 20 female journalists — have lost their lives in Afghanistan due to war-related incidents and organized crimes.
In a statement issued on the occasion of the “International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists,” the center said that since 2001, at least 130 journalists and media workers, among them 20 women, have been killed in the country. It added that due to a culture of impunity, law and justice have not been upheld in more than 90 percent of these cases.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center emphasized that during more than four years under the rule of the caretaker government, at least 640 cases of violations of journalists’ rights and actions against media outlets have been recorded.
The statement further noted that during this period, five journalists — including two employees of the National Radio and Television — were killed in an attack by Pakistani military forces.
It added: “The culture of impunity for crimes against journalists has prevented justice for most of these victims, and restrictions on media and journalistic activities in the country have increased to an unprecedented level.”
The center stated that the dominance of the culture of impunity in Afghanistan, along with the growing threats, pressures, and restrictions against journalists and media organizations, has had severe consequences for society and the country’s development.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center called on the current government to respect the fundamental rights of journalists and media outlets and to take necessary measures to ensure justice for the victims of crimes against journalists and media workers.
In conclusion, the center urged the caretaker government to revoke the decrees that have imposed unprecedented restrictions on media freedom and to allow journalists and free media to report events and convey the truth.
