'Stop reporting or we’ll kill your family' – Threats to media freedom in Afghanistan (January 2015)

21st January 2015

'Stop reporting or we’ll kill your family' – Threats to media freedom in Afghanistan (January 2015)

This 48-page Human Rights Watch report documents harassment, intimidation, and attacks on journalists and the Afghan government’s failure to investigate and prosecute those responsible. The failure to protect journalistic freedom has emboldened those determined to suppress criticism of the government, the security forces, and other powerful entities in Afghan society. The Taliban insurgency has greatly contributed to the climate of fear by explicitly targeting journalists for reporting deemed unfavorable. The government should act decisively to end the violence and intimidation, and the Taliban should end its attacks on civilian organisations, including the media.