Afghan Journalists Forced To Work In Climate of Fear Under Taliban, Says UNAMA

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced documenting numerous human rights violations against journalists over the past 18 months in Afghanistan. UNAMA expressed serious concern for the future of Afghanistan’s media sector.

The UN body said that the journalists have been forced to work in a climate of intimidation and fear amid increased restrictions by the Taliban.

UNAMA stressed that since August 2021, large number of media professionals have fled Afghanistan, and the sector has been hit by the country’s economic crisis.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva said that the World Press Freedom Day was a moment to show solidarity with the Afghan journalists still attempting to maintain independent reporting in the country.

She added, “Journalists are being forced to make editorial decisions based on fear, not public interest. Its sadly part of a wider trend of declining freedom of expression and access to information.”

Otunbayeva called the "persistent intimidation, threats, and attacks" on journalists unacceptable and urged the Taliban authorities to guarantee the freedom and independence of the media, and the safety of male and female journalists alike.

The UN body said that although the Taliban have re-activated a national Media Violations Commission to liaise with journalists, its lack of independence and scant effectiveness need to be addressed.

According to UNAMA, the legal framework for the media also remains unclear, and journalists are forced to navigate unclear and often arbitrary boundaries of reporting against an ever-present threat of repression and closure.