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2016 Bloodiest Year for Journalists in Afghanistan
Afghanistan Journalist Safety Committee (AJSC) said in a report released on Thursday said that With 13 killed, 2016 was the deadliest year for journalists in the history of Afghanistan’s media.
According to the report, 6 journalists were wounded during the year, while the agency also documented, “30 cases of beating, 35 cases of intimidation, and 17 cases of abuse and mistreatment.”
With 101 cases in total, the year saw a spike of 38 per cent in instances of violence against journalists compared to 2015, with 50 per cent attributed to the government of Afghanistan, while the Taliban accounted for 20 per cent. Most of the remaining cases were attributed to unknown individuals.
“An increase in the level of threats and attacks against journalist and media by the Taliban has not only transformed the nature of the threat environment, but also forced extensive self-censorship on journalists who work in the insecure areas of the country,” the report said.
“Not only the violence became heavier in terms of qualitative but the statistics also show a 38 percent increase in violence,” said Najib Sharifi, head of AJSC.
AJSC calls on government to take serious measures for reducing violence against journalists in the country.
“We urge the government leaders and the international community to take this issue serious and also take serious measures regarding this issue,” Sharifi added.
The AJSC is demanding that the Afghan government ends the culture of impunity surrounding journalist deaths. It warns that otherwise the country will lose its vibrant local media, one of Afghanistan’s greatest achievements since the 2001 fall of the Taliban.
Journalists’ rights bodies blame the Afghan government and militant groups for committing violence against journalists, urging the government to protect them from further threats.