A group of UN human rights experts on Friday called on the international community to protect media workers in Afghanistan at risk of persecution for their work since the Taliban movement's (banned in Russia) takeover
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd September, 2021) A group of UN human rights experts on Friday called on the international community to protect media workers in Afghanistan at risk of persecution for their work since the Taliban movement's (banned in Russia) takeover.
"All governments must take strong and swift action to protect Afghan journalists who face persecution, including by expediting visas, assisting with evacuation and keeping their borders open for those who wish to leave Afghanistan," the experts said in a statement.
According to the experts, reports of killings of journalists and their family members, intimidation and home raids have "sharply increased" over the recent months.
The experts stressed they are particularly worried about female journalists in Afghanistan who face systematic human rights violations for working in the media or for simply being a woman in public life.
The statement, penned by Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of expression, Clement Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the Working Group on discrimination against women, among others, also called on the UN Human Rights Council to form an investigative and monitoring body that will seek to ensure accountability for all human rights abuses and prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
After Afghanistan fell to the Taliban and the civilian government collapsed on August 15, there has been grave concern over free reporting and safety of journalists, especially female ones. More than 90 media outlets are said to have shut down.
