(RSF/IFEX) – In a 14 September 1998 letter, RSF protested the policy of the Taliban administration concerning the delivery of visas for foreign journalists. According to RSF’s information, since 20 August, the date of the United States attack on Khost with cruise missiles, the Taliban have received about 250 applications for visas from foreign journalists. […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a 14 September 1998 letter, RSF protested the policy of the
Taliban administration concerning the delivery of visas for foreign
journalists. According to RSF’s information, since 20 August, the date of
the United States attack on Khost with cruise missiles, the Taliban have
received about 250 applications for visas from foreign journalists. Only 43
were issued by the embassy in Islamabad and the consulate in Peshawar,
Pakistan. However, even when they are allowed to enter Afghanistan, foreign
journalists are watched by militiamen or confined to certain areas. Maulvi
Saeedur Rehman Haqqani, Acting Ambassador of the Taliban administration in
Islamabad, told RSF on 13 September: “We are not issuing visas for the
northern parts of the country because it is a war zone. We issue a one-week
visa to journalists only for the cities of Kabul and Kandahar.” He added:
“American and Western journalists will not get visas because they are liars
and hypocrites.”
**For background on killing of Saremi, see IFEX alerts of 15, 11 September
and 11 August 1998**
Furthermore, on 22 August, four Pakistani journalists were arrested in
southern Afghanistan. B. K. Bangash and Zaheerudin, photographer and
reporter for Associated Press, and Saeed Bangash and Salahuddin,
photographer and reporter for Agence France Presse, were detained several
hours by the Taliban. Two days after their arrest, it was learned that they
had been freed.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Taliban spokesman:
freely in Afghanistan regardless of their nationality or the media for
which they work
what is currently happening in northern Afghanistan
Appeals To
Mr Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil
Spokesman of the Taliban administration
c/o Afghan Embassy in Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan
Fax: +92 51 824 504
Please copy appeals to the source.