Some Afghan Journalists in exile call for UN’s support

ATLANTA (Pajhwok): Hundreds of Afghan journalists have sent a letter to the United Nation’s Secretary General Anthony Guterres, requesting him to pay serious attention to the freedom of expression and the situation of Afghan journalists in Afghanistan.

The letter is signed by about 600 journalists and was sent to Secretary General’s office of the United Nations (UN) by Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization (AJSO).

In a statement sent to Pajhwok Afghan News AJSO wrote that the letter was officially submitted to the office of Secretary General of the UN.

The letter in detail explained the problems and the ambiguous fate of Afghan journalist after the political change in Afghanistan and in the world.

The journalists called on the Human Rights Commission of the UN and all other international organizations to pay their serious attention to the freedom of expression and the situation of Afghan journalists.

The letter also clarified all those methods through which the international organizations can urgently provide the unfortunate afghan journalists with their urgent humanitarian support and back up the right of Afghans for the freedom of expression.

The Germany based AJSO office said, that this organization was established after the fall of Islamic republic which also has members and supported in other countries.

A complaint is made in the letter that the UN and international community have not made any actions for the protection and support of the media in Afghanistan.

It is said in the letter: “Afghanistan has changed into a hell and dark place for the media workers. We have not witnessed any action of the UN and international community till now to put any pressure on Taliban about the crimes against the humanity”.

Some items have been also proposed from the Secretary General of the UN at the end of the letter: “The International community must recognize the suppression of freedom of expression, lack of independence of media and access to information as international humanitarian disaster”.

It has been also proposed that the stranded journalists in Afghanistan must be saved and attention must be paid to the dire situation other journalists who are stuck in third countries and they must also be saved.

ASJO asked the UN to help the stranded journalists in other countries with opportunities of capacity building, give them chances to work in their own field and look for other alternative ways to access the information in Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization (AJSO) expressed its concern if the UN does not take measure for the protection of media and the human rights in Afghanistan, the UN may lose its "credibility".

AJSO claimed in the letter, after the collapse of the previous government, 387 media outlets were closed or are on the verge of being closed. Many journalists live in exile in dire and in unfortunate situations in foreign countries while half of them of females.

The organization claimed, after the takeover by the current government” 115 journalists were arrested, humiliated, threatened or tortured. During the past one year, five journalists were killed and a number of them are missing”.

The source further added that AJSO will continue to contact the UN, human rights institutions and all those partner organizations that are responsible in this field, to make practical efforts in order to reach more developments in this field.

The acting government of Afghanistan is yet to comment about this but Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of Islamic Emirate, in the past said that they are committed to the freedom of expression in the light if Islamic values and the national interests.

Aw/nh