Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC)

The body of Noor Ahman Noori, the presenter of two religious programmes on the Boost radio station, was found in a sack near the city of Lashkargah in Aghanistan.

Following the criminalisation of peaceful protest in Egypt in November 2013, 57 organisations and individuals release joint statement against arrests of Egyptian bloggers and political activists.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center registered 84 media freedom violations during 2013 across the war-torn country, raising serious concerns about the safety of media representatives ahead of the April 2014 presidential vote and the international troops’ pullout.

IFEX members strongly condemn recent attacks on journalists during public demonstrations in Kyiv and call for those responsible to be held accountable.

Shockingly, as many as 23 journalists have been murdered during the past two decades in Afghanistan, but their killers – with the exception of two cases – remain unpunished.

Given the recent increase in attacks against the media, there are serious concerns about press freedom as Afghanistan prepares for 2014 elections and the withdrawal of international troops.

The brothers of a local Afghani radio journalist have been convicted in connection with his murder; the journalist’s family was reportedly critical of his social and political programmes.

An Afghan TV reporter for Channel 1 was fired after he “liked” a Facebook post about the channel’s management.