CPJ saddened by death of kidnapped translator

“The death of Sultan Mohammed Munadi, a respected Afghan journalist who was kidnapped while covering a story of great international significance and killed during an attempt to release him and his New York Times’ colleague Stephen Farrell, is a terrible shock,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family as well as his colleagues in the Times’ bureau.”

“While there is relief that Stephen Farrell has been safely freed, Munadi’s death highlights the growing danger faced by all Afghan journalists and foreign reporters, who are working and risking their lives to cover a story that is taking an ever higher toll on the country and its people,” added Bob Dietz, CPJ Asia program coordinator, who recently returned from a reporting trip to Afghanistan to document the dangers that journalists there confront.