Inside an Afghan news network’s struggle to survive
Threats, insults, beatings, and censorship: Former Ariana News staffers detail dire challenges during a year under Taliban control For veteran journalist Sharif Hassanyar, the final breaking point came in September last year. The Taliban had ousted the elected government of Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani almost a month earlier, and the last American soldiers had since…
Afghanistan’s media faces crisis—and opportunity
Twelve months after the Taliban takeover, many Afghan journalists are out of work or on the run. Others try, very carefully, to challenge the powerful. The extreme distress that has gripped Afghanistan’s independent media since the Taliban seized power in Kabul on August 15 last year lands in my inbox—and the inboxes of many of…
Crew with Indian broadcaster WION News beaten, detained by Taliban in Kabul
New York, August 9, 2022 – Taliban authorities should cease their attacks on the press and ensure that those who harass and assault journalists are held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On August 4, armed Taliban members attacked and detained a team with the independent Indian broadcaster WION News, including reporter…
CPJ to publish ‘Afghanistan’s Media Crisis,’ an assessment of the state of press freedom one year after the return of the Taliban
New York, August 4, 2022- Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) will publish a comprehensive assessment of the state of press freedom in Afghanistan. CPJ’s report, a series of richly reported features, highlights the experiences and knowledge of nearly two dozen…
Taliban members beat Afghan journalist Selgay Ehsas, force her to record video message
Washington, D.C., August 3, 2022 – Taliban authorities must investigate the beating and harassment of journalist Selgay Ehsas, hold those responsible to account, and allow female journalists to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On July 20, several men armed with rifles approached Ehsas, a sports presenter with the independent broadcaster Radio…
Taliban intelligence officers force Foreign Policy columnist Lynne O’Donnell to tweet apologies for her reporting
Washington, D.C., July 21, 2022 – Taliban authorities must stop harassing members of the press, and the intelligence officers who recently intimidated and threatened Australian journalist Lynne O’Donnell should be held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. O’Donnell, a columnist with the U.S. magazine Foreign Policy, arrived in Kabul on July 16,…
Taliban members beat journalist at Kabul checkpoint, detain 2 others
Washington, D.C., June 22, 2022 – Taliban authorities must investigate the beating of journalist Mohammad Ikram Esmati and immediately and unconditionally release journalist Abdul Hannan Mohammadi and broadcasting manager Khan Mohammad Sial, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. “The Taliban must take immediate measures to halt repeated arbitrary detentions and abuse of journalists in…
Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting
New York, June 9, 2022 — The Taliban must investigate the beating of journalist Reza Shahir, and immediately drop all charges against journalists Firoz Ghafori, Basira Mosamem, and Olugh Beig Ghafori, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. At about midnight on June 3, Taliban forces stopped Shahir while he was on his way to…
Taliban intelligence agents detain four media workers in Kabul, Herat, and Paktia provinces
Washington, D.C., May 31, 2022 – Taliban authorities must investigate the beating and detention of journalist Roman Karimi and the detention of his driver, who goes by the single name Samiullah, and immediately and unconditionally release radio station owner Jamaluddin Dildar and former radio station owner Mirza Hasani, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday….