International organizations call for halt to arrests and deportations of Afghan journalists from Pakistan

A group of international organizations working on human rights and press freedom have called on the Pakistani government to immediately halt the arrests and deportations of Afghan journalists and uphold the principle of non-refoulement.

In a letter sent to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, March 26, the recent increase in arrests and deportations of Afghan journalists was described as “deeply concerning.” The signatories warned that many of these journalists have already been targeted by the Taliban for their professional activities, and that returning them to Afghanistan could put their lives at risk.

The letter emphasizes that deporting Afghan journalists could expose them to arbitrary detention, violence, or even death by the Taliban, and that the Pakistani government must protect journalists under threat in accordance with its international obligations.

In their letter, the organizations also referred to the overall state of media freedom in Pakistan, including the detention of Sohrab Barakat for more than 90 days under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and the lack of progress in the murder case of journalists such as Arshad Sharif and Shan Daher.
The organizations warned that the continuation of this trend will not only threaten Afghan journalists but also Pakistani media activists and further restrict the working space of the media in the country.