Journalists in danger are still waiting to be evacuated from Afghanistan Receive breaking news alerts from Le Devoir

Almost two months after the capture of Kabul by the Taliban, many journalists in danger are still waiting for concrete help from the international community. According to them, it is not only their lives that are in danger, but also Afghan journalism, threatened with extinction.

“Over the past two decades, hundreds of journalists, men and women, have been murdered. At the end of the line, journalist Karim Amini does not have to explain himself at length to convince that his country is dangerous for those who exercise this profession. "If I had stayed in the country, I would probably be in prison or dead," continues this young war reporter and star host of the non-stop news channel TOLOnews since 2016.

Karim Amini has agreed to speak openly to Le Devoir from Uzbekistan, where he is temporarily with his family. On August 15, when Kabul was taken by the Taliban, he was there on a trip. He was never able to return to Afghanistan. “We are here with three bags and nothing more. Our life, our home, our family remained there,” he says. As his visa expires in two months, he has multiplied calls and requests for assistance from anyone who can help him resettle in a safe country. In vain.

Almost 30 years old, Karim Amini was one of the first journalists to cover the collapse of Kondoz province in 2014-2015. The Taliban designated him as an enemy to be killed, and some of his colleagues were unfortunately killed in the process. More recently, a rather full-bodied interview conducted less than a year ago with Mohammad Naeem, an official spokesman for the Taliban, further provoked the ire of this regime.

Being a journalist under the Taliban

Endangered journalists still awaiting be evacuated from Afghanistan Receive breaking news alerts from Le Devoir

No doubt for him: Karim Amini is not welcome at home. However, he speaks every day with several of his colleagues who are still working in Kabul. “But they are not free. They must broadcast Taliban messages on TV, and women journalists must now wear “Islamic clothing”. »

In mid-September, around 100 Afghan reporters, some still working and others living in hiding in the country, echoed this reality by publishing an open letter on the Reporters Without Borders website. “We are Afghan journalists, of different political opinions and ethnicities. […] We do not want an extinction of journalism in Afghanistan, as was the case between 1996 and 2001. There is urgency, “reads the letter, which is not signed to ensure security authors.

These journalists say they are already observing the “first concrete signs of a general repression”. Less than 15% of female journalists continue to work, they claim. This is without counting the many incidents on the ground, such as threats and arbitrary arrests. On September 9, images showing two reporters from the Etilaatroz newspaper, who were beaten and tortured for covering demonstrations, went around the world.

"We need international solidarity to prevent the extinction of Afghan journalism", wrote these hundred or so reporters. According to them, only guarantees of protection, especially for women, will allow the maintenance and reopening of the Afghan media. In the short term, they outright demand the evacuation of journalists, including those in exile.

Welcome to Canada

Since the beginning of the crisis, the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) has been fighting hard, in partnership with other press freedom organizations, to try to bring to Canada information workers (journalists, interpreters, etc.) who have collaborated with local media. A long and frustrating process, says CAJ President Brent Jolly.

The Departments of Immigration, Defense and Foreign Affairs constantly pass the buck. “We submitted a list of journalists at risk at the end of August, and [these] have not even been able to receive confirmation that yes, their files are in the pile. It does not seem very transparent to me, ”worries Mr. Jolly.

He hopes that now that the election is over, the federal authorities can help solve the logistical problems that result in these long delays. “Because the Afghans are losing hope and do not feel that they are heard by Canada. »

Canada has recently pledged to increase the number of Afghans eligible for refugee status from 20,000 to 40,000. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the evacuation operation gave priority to Afghans from the "Special Measures for Afghan Nationals" program, those who have worked directly with the Canadian government. As of September 27, 13,400 Afghans have applied for refuge in Canada through this program, and 9,400 people have had theirs accepted. Of that number, less than a third (about 2,500) are here. The majority are still in Afghanistan (about 5500) or in another country (about 1250).

Those who do not qualify for this first program may, however, be eligible for the "humanitarian resettlement" program, which targets women leaders, journalists and those who have helped Canadian journalists and people who are at risk of being victims of reprisals from the Taliban for the work they do.

Even if he has not worked for international media, Karim Amini does not consider himself less legitimate to ask for help from all countries that support freedom of the press and democracy. Because it is in the name of these values ​​that he says he never gave up the job. “But I will not be a journalist under the Taliban. They can't stand people of my generation, we have too many deep differences,” he said. He does not want to betray "those who believe in him". “They want free journalism. That's what I want to be able to deliver. »

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