A coalition of 50 human rights organizations, civil society groups, and women’s protest movements has issued a joint statement in support of a new campaign to protect Afghan journalists currently at risk in Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey.
The campaign, launched on August 10 by a group of Afghan journalists in partnership with the Media Support Organization, urges the governments of the three host countries to immediately halt arrests, deportations, and the denial of fundamental rights to Afghan media workers. Citing binding international laws and customary humanitarian principles, the signatories call for accelerated asylum procedures and urgent protection.
“Neglecting the situation of these journalists amounts to ignoring threats against freedom of expression, human dignity, and the right to life,” the statement warns. “Media freedom is the backbone of democracy, and protecting journalists is essential to truth, justice, and collective awareness.”
The coalition urges global media watchdogs—including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)—to immediately document violations, mobilize political support, and exert diplomatic pressure on host governments to stop the deportations.
The statement reflects growing alarm over deteriorating conditions for Afghan journalists in exile, many of whom face harassment, detention, or forced return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where press freedom has been all but extinguished.
