The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Tuesday called for journalists’ safety and an end of impunity for crimes against journalists.
Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the UN General Security deputy special representative for Afghanistan Mette Knudsen met with a number of journalists in Kabul and said the impunity for crimes against journalists should be ended.
“UN in Afghanistan today marked International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists with Dep-Head Metknu hosting a group of Afghan reporters to pay tribute to their courage, remember slain colleagues and call for journalist safety,” UNAMA said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the crimes against journalists should be investigated. According to him, 62 journalists were killed last year while doing their jobs.
He called on UN member states to stand in solidarity with journalists.
“Last year, according to UNESCO, 62 journalists were killed just for doing their jobs. Many lost their lives to conflict. But in recent years, the number of media workers killed while investigating corruption, trafficking, and other human rights violations has risen,” he said, “Almost 9 out of 10 of these killings go unpunished.”
Meanwhile, NAI, an organization supporting free media in Afghanistan, said violence against journalists in Afghanistan has increased and that the perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
According to NAI, since the political change in August, over 30 cases of violence against journalists have been recorded. “If such incidents are not investigated, media cannot operate freely,” said Nasir Ahmad Noori, advocacy head of NAI.
“Although the Islamic Emirate repeatedly has said it will maintain journalists’ security, we see that journalists are being beaten and insulted,” said Samiullah Pam, a reporter.
The Islamic Emirate deputy spokesperson Bilal Karimi meanwhile said the government is committed to secure journalists’ security. “We are committed to the security and safety of journalists, and we will try to improve the situation for them,” he said.
