As many as 41 organizations from around the world have called on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to ensure the safety of Afghan journalists amid a surge in targeted violence against journalists in the war-torn country.
In an open letter to the UNSC, the press organizations as well as the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan have warned that the situation will leave a devastating impact on the country’s fragile freedom of the press if the UNSC does not take immediate action to protect the journalist community in Afghanistan.
The call for protection of journalists comes while three female media workers were shot dead on March 02, in the eastern Jalalabad city of Nangarhar province. At least 14 people including journalists and rights activists were killed since the beginning of 2021 in Afghanistan.
Rights groups, the Afghan government, and diplomatic missions in Kabul condemned the attacks against journalists. The Afghan security officials blame the Taliban for violence, something the Taliban have repeatedly denied.
The security situation has deteriorated since the US-Taliban deal in February last year.
The media organizations urged the UNSC to push the Afghan warring parties to end violence against journalists.
