Journalism has always been a risky profession in countries like Afghanistan. In the last more than a decade, which is considered new era for Afghanistan, regarding freedom of expression, several Afghan journalists have been targeted and then forgotten. Journalists are killed just because they find facts and deliver them to the masses of Afghanistan and people around the world.
Journalists are the most vulnerable professionals in Afghanistan who are provided no security against terrorists, warlords, mafia and other criminal groups. Since January, there have been thirty six cases of violence against journalists. The figure indicates a 40 percent increase as compared to the same period of the last year.
The current standing of media in Afghanistan is considered one of the major achievements of US-backed Karzai administration. Nonetheless, development of media has not been achieved without sacrifices. Scores of journalists and other people working for media have been targeted over the last 11 years.
The killings of Syed Hamid Noori, Shaima Rezai, Shekaiba Sanga Amaj, Zakia Zaki, Rahman Qul, Ajmal Naqshbandi, Samad Rohani, Sultan Ahmad Manadi, Janullah Hashimzada and several others who were working with different TVs, Radios and Newspapers are all signaling that journalists are becoming the sacrifices of government’s lack of seriousness towards their profession.
Are Taliban the sole responsible people for the killings of Afghan journalists? They have been involved in abduction and killing of media personnel but involvement of other criminals cannot be ruled out. Additionally, the attitude of government authorities towards journalists is not very much satisfactory. Security forces have been involved in torturing people working for media. Also, the murder cases of many journalists have never been followed up. Therefore killers have not been identified even those who were targeted in capital Kabul.
Killing of journalists is in fact the death of expression of freedom in country and deeply stain the credibility of its government. No doubt Afghan media has had significant achievements after the fall of Taliban but it still has a long way to go. The government of Afghanistan is responsible to not only take necessary measures to provide security to journalists but also strictly investigate the cases journalists who have been killed in the previous years.
As Afghanistan is moving into 2014, a year by the end of which most of NATO forces are planned to withdraw, worries about security of journalist has become manifold. If the government wants to maintain progress in print and electronic media, it has to boost up measures for protecting the journalists.