KABUL (SW) – The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), in its latest report, has documented the tragic loss of 94 journalists and media workers this year. A significant number of these casualties occurred during recent clashes in Gaza.
According to statistics from the IFJ, 72% of journalist deaths this year occurred in the conflicts in Gaza. This marks the highest number of journalists killed in military conflicts since 1990.
In this report, Dominique Pradalier, President of the International Federation of Journalists, has urgently appealed for an immediate cessation of the ongoing bloodshed.
A part of this report states: “The international community, especially the International Criminal Court, must face its responsibilities and, if necessary, prosecute those who ordered the attack on journalists.”
The report from the International Federation of Journalists also reveals that seven journalists lost their lives this year in Asia, including Afghanistan.
The head of the Supporting Free Media Organization in Afghanistan (NAI), Zarif Karimi, tells Salaam Watandar that the preservation of journalists’ immunity remains a significant challenge in Afghanistan, posing obstacles to the free practice of journalism.
“Fewer journalists report critically because of security and immunity problems. We demand that more journalists be under the security protection,” he added.
Another part of the IFJ’s report deals with the detention of journalists in the world. According to the statistics of this organization, 393 journalists and media workers are currently in prison due to their media activities.
Meanwhile, Sultan Ali Jawadi, the manager of “Radio Nasim” in Daikundi, is currently in the prison of the de-facto government of the Islamic Emirate.
The local authorities of Daikendi and the Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate told Salam Watandar that Jawadi was sentenced to one year in prison for propaganda against the Islamic Emirate.
Ismael, a relative of Sultan Ali Jawadi: “There is no valid reason to be sentenced to one year in prison, but what the government says is that he was working for foreign media.”
On the other hand, the officials in the Ministry of Information and Culture confirm that one or two cases of murder of journalists have occurred in Afghanistan in the past two years, adding that the ministry assures efforts to ensure journalists’ immunity.
“Since the Islamic Emirate came to power, the death of journalists has reached zero. We have had one or two events in the last two years, and these are the events that happened in Mazar-e-Sharif,” Hayatullah Mohajer Farahi, the director for broadcasting at this Ministry, told Salaam Watandar.
Although the physical security of journalists has shown improvement over the past two years, journalists express that they now encounter new challenges such as censorship and a lack of job security.
ENDS
