Media organizations call for the safe evacuation of journalists from Afghanistan

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 25 August 2021

In light of the escalating situation in Afghanistan, various media organizations are calling for the safe evacuation of journalists and their families. A set of demands has been presented to G7 countries for immediate actions to ensure their safety.

Summary

LONDON—Ahead of the G7 summit on the situation in Afghanistan, various media organizations around the globe have joined hands for making a clear and explicit commitment regarding the protection and safe evacuation of journalists and their families from Afghanistan.

Media organizations, in a 10-point demand, asked the G7 countries to play their due role as under:

1. Make an explicit commitment to evacuate all journalists, media workers, and media advocates at risk, and their families

2. Ease visa restrictions for all Afghan journalists, media workers, media advocates, and their families seeking asylum

3. Simplify and secure the process for visa application, and collaborate with third

countries when possible

4. Provide safe passage to and at the airport and other routes

5. Remain in Kabul in order to secure the airport and the possibility to evacuate beyond the August 31 deadline

6. Create an emergency fund for Afghan journalists and media workers

7. Provide pathways for cash to enter the country

8. Repurpose development budget lines to address the emergency

9. Coordinate efforts within the United Nations system for immediate support

10. At the 26 August special session of the Human Rights Council, call for the

establishment of an independent monitoring and investigative mechanism that is

adequately staffed and resourced.

According to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the following are the signatories.

ACOS Alliance; ARTICLE 19; Association of European Journalists (AEJ); Association for International Broadcasting; Association of Freelance Journalists (Kenya); Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma; Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE); Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM); Committee to Protect Journalists; Dart Centre Asia Pacific; Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma; DW Akademie, Deutsche Welle; English PEN; Ethnovision; European Broadcasting Union (EBU); European Centre for Press; Media Freedom; European Federation of Journalists (EFJ); Freedom House; Free Press Unlimited; The Frontline Club; The Frontline Freelance Register; Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD); The GroundTruth Project; Guardian News and Media; IFEXInternational Center for Journalists (ICFJ); International Media Support; International News Safety Institute (INSI); International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF); International Federation of Journalists (IFJ); International Press Institute (IPI); Internews; James W. Foley Legacy Foundation; Maharat Foundation; Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA); Overseas Press Club of America; Overseas Press Club Foundation; Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF); PEN America; PEN Canada; PEN Germany; PEN Japan; PEN International; Public Media Alliance; Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting; Reporters Without Borders (RSF); Rory Peck Trust; Samir Kassir Foundation; The Signals Network; Storyhunter VII; AgencyVII Foundation; Women Photograph; World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

Photo: AFP