Afghanistan: CFWIJ is concerned by the Taliban’s media provisions order
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September 23, 2021, Kabul - The Taliban has released a new media mandate for the country listed in 11 clauses. The stipulations are vague and precariously open to interpretation, posing further risk to the media. The Taliban’s rise has affected the lives of women journalists, activists, and other social workers in the country by prohibiting them from working. As several Afghan women journalists have managed to flee, many still plead for help while evading the Taliban’s watch.
Afghan’s media coverage procedure was announced by Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, head of the Taliban government’s media outlet, Atlasexpress reported.
The Taliban’s provisions to the media are listed below:
1. Do not publish those topics that are in conflict with Islam.
2. Do not insult national personalities in publishing activities.
3. Do not insult national and personal privacy in publishing activities.
4. Media and journalists should not distort their news content.
5. Journalists should consider the principles of journalism in their writing.
6. The media should consider balance in their publications.
7. Matters whose accuracy is not known and have not been approved by the officials should be cautious in publishing them.
8. Issues that have a negative effect on the public mind or spoil the morale of the people should be cautious in publishing it.
9. The media should maintain their neutrality in publishing their news and publish whatever is true.
10. The Government Media Center strives to cooperate with the media and journalists and to facilitate the preparation of reports, and the media will then prepare their detailed reports in coordination with this office.
11. For the convenience of the media and journalists, a specific form has been prepared in the Government Media Office to prepare a guide with the opinion of those reports.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism considers these provisions a threat to the freedom of speech, and journalists who are already struggling to exercise press freedom in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, the Coalition For Women In Journalism expressed concern for the safety of women journalists in Afghanistan and the challenges faced while working.
On September 8, 2021, a woman journalist M. H. was beaten by Taliban forces while covering the women’s demonstration in Dasht-e-Barchi. The militants also destroyed her camera equipment.
“I fainted from the pain of being severely flogged until people gave me water,” the journalist told CFWIJ after the attack.
Between January and August 2021, Afghanistan reported the highest number of women journalists, murdered by the Taliban, with four out of the nine deaths around the world.
Three journalists, including one woman journalist, were among the 170 people killed in the bombing at the Kabul airport on August 26. Najma Sadeqi, a young Afghan YouTuber from the Afghan Insider channel, was completing her last semester of journalism school. She hoped to flee the country and find somewhere safe to practice journalism.
Amid fear and threats, women journalists are the most affected since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, with hundreds desperate for help. As CFWIJ was inundated by applications for assistance, we have managed to evacuate 126 journalists, activists, women’s rights advocates, and others from Afghanistan. However, there are hundreds of urgent cases still in grave danger.
The CFWIJ is in the process of vetting over 2500 applications, prioritizing and processing the cases with the most urgent needs. The CFWIJ is actively engaged with several countries including, the U.S., Canada, and Pakistan, and assisting international organizations in evacuation efforts. We are helping facilitate safe passage for the most vulnerable journalists, activists, and human rights defenders.
The CFWIJ has reported extensively on the threats and violations against women journalists in recent months.
We call on the international community to join efforts and facilitate the safe departure of vulnerable Afghans from the country. At this time, it is critical to support Afghan journalists, particularly women, who are desperately trying to escape.
