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Watchdog raises concern over attacks plaguing media industry

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(Last Updated On: December 28, 2020)
Afghanistan’s media workers have warned if government does not step up efforts to preserve freedom of expression and safeguard their lives they might end up being forced to flee the country. 
 
This comes after a string of attacks left five media workers dead in two months – amid a marked increase in targeted killings and attempted assassinations.  
 
At a meeting on Saturday, Afghan media workers said the escalation of targeted attacks against journalists and media workers has also led to self-censorship. 
 
In a statement issued by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), the organization stated that the Afghan government and Taliban urgently need to consider and respond to the demands of the Afghan media for support, safety, protection, timely investigations and access to information.
 
The AIHRC said targeted killings of journalists in the past few months have had a negative impact on media across the country and that many female journalists from the provinces have left their jobs. 
 
“It is very difficult for journalists to have access to the districts, even those near the provincial centers. They cannot easily move around the city. When those working in media including journalists are threatened, they refer to government security agencies, but, according to journalists, their concerns and demands are not given sufficient attention by the security institutions,” the statement read.
 
At Saturday’s meeting, over 100 journalists and representatives of media support organizations shared their concerns and challenges with Shaharzad Akbar, the AIHRC’s Chairperson and the commission’s leadership.
 
AIHRC said: “There has been a lot of psychological pressure on those working in media in Afghanistan in recent months due to the environment of fear and intimidation created by the targeted attacks. 
 
“The media community are worried about more restrictions that could affect their work and their lives. 
 
“The government of Afghanistan has not shared sufficient information on preventing the targeted killings of journalists and prosecuting the perpetrators.”
 
This also comes just weeks after government announced it had dismantled the spokesperson position for provincial governor offices.
 
Since the decision came into effect, on December 2, the governors themselves are responsible for giving information to the media. 
 
“Dismantling this position has caused concern about disruption in the free circulation of information in the country. Most journalists complain about lack of access to information and data at the provincial level. 
 
“To this end, the media call on the government to ensure freedom of expression and respect people’s right to access information by revising the decision about dismantling the spokesperson position in the provincial governors’ offices,” the statement read.
 
Journalists at the meeting also called for a number of other measures to be considered. 
 
They asked for the international community to pressure the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire and end the violence and targeted killings; that the Afghan government must prevent targeted attacks, ensure security of journalists, and investigate cases of murder, threat, intimidation and violations against journalists. And also identify and prosecute the perpetrators and share the results with the people and families of the victims.
 
The journalists stated that the Taliban cannot abdicate responsibility for the attacks by mere denials and said if the Taliban is not involved, they must share their information and findings with the public. 
 
Some journalists expressed their concern over hate-inducing, violent language and narratives by local Taliban-affiliated media regarding independent journalists and free press and said this language and narrative has the potential to be normalized and could end up spreading violence against independent media.
 
The AIHRC meanwhile expressed its concern about the threats and limitations facing the media and journalists and called on the international community, Afghan government and Taliban to urgently consider the situation. 
 
Freedom of expression and the growth of the media sector is one of Afghanistan’s most significant achievements over the past twenty years and the media in Afghanistan has played an important role in ensuring citizens’ access to information, holding the government accountable, and promoting democratic institutions despite the difficult security situation. 

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At least 1,500 families affected by recent floods: IRW

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(Last Updated On: April 23, 2024)

The Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) organization has reported that the rains and floods of the last week have claimed the lives of many Afghan and incurred huge financial losses.

According to the organization, a total of 1,500 families have suffered as a result of the recent floods and hundreds of livestock have also been lost.

IRW added that following the recent rains, 900 houses were partially or completely destroyed and 93,000 hectares of agricultural land was damaged.

This comes amid an ongoing economic crisis in Afghanistan which has left millions of people reliant on aid.

The disaster management ministry meanwhile confirmed earlier that 99 people died and 64 others were injured as a result of the heavy rains.

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Russia says US facing humiliation in Ukraine like in Vietnam and Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: April 22, 2024)

Russia said on Sunday U.S. lawmakers’ support for $60.84 billion more in aid for Ukraine showed that Washington was wading much deeper into a hybrid war against Moscow that would end in humiliation on a par with the Vietnam or Afghanistan conflicts.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was clear that the United States wanted Ukraine “to fight to the last Ukrainian” including with attacks on Russian sovereign territory and civilians, Reuters reported.

“Washington’s deeper and deeper immersion in the hybrid war against Russia will turn into a loud and humiliating fiasco for United States such as Vietnam and Afghanistan,” Zakharova said.

Russia, she said, will give “an unconditional and resolute response” to the U.S. move to get more involved in the Ukraine war.

The United States lost more than 58,000 military personnel in the 1955-75 Vietnam War, which ended with Communist North Vietnam’s victory and takeover of the South, while hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed.

In the 2001-2021 war in Afghanistan, the U.S. reported 2,459 dead and over 20,000 wounded in the conflict which ended with the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces and return to power of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

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Iran says water is an important factor in expansion of ties with Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: April 22, 2024)

Iran’s special representative for Afghanistan, Hasan Kazemi Qomi, said on Sunday that water is an important factor in the expansion of bilateral relations, expressing hope that the flow of water to his country will continue.

Qomi said this in a meeting with Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, the ministry said in a statement.

The envoy expressed gratitude for removing obstacles to the flow of water from the Helmand River to Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran.

Meanwhile, Muttaqi noted that there were good rains in the country this year, as a result of which, after several years of severe drought, Helmand River’s water flowed to Nimroz province of Afghanistan and into Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran.

He assessed the relations between Afghanistan and Iran as “friendly and positive” and hoped relations will expand further in various fields.

During the meeting, Iran’s envoy also thanked the Islamic Emirate for its stance on Israel’s attacks on Gaza and for having condemned the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

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