GFMD joins civil society call for G7 to protect and evacuate Afghan journalists
| 24. August 2021
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Ahead of the G7 summit on the situation in Afghanistan, GFMD has joined the undersigned organisations to call on G7 countries to make a clear and explicit commitment to journalists and media workers as an urgent and immediate priority, ensuring their protection and evacuating them and their families.
We ask that G7 members:
- Make an explicit commitment to evacuate all journalists, media workers and media advocates at risk, and their families
- Ease visa restrictions for all Afghan journalists, media workers, media advocates and their families seeking asylum
- Simplify and secure the process for visa application, and collaborate with third countries when possible
- Provide safe passage to and at the airport and other routes
- Remain in Kabul in order to secure the airport and the possibility to evacuate beyond the August 31 deadline
- Create an emergency fund for Afghan journalists and media workers
- Provide pathways for cash to enter in the country
- Repurpose development budget lines to address the emergency situation
- Coordinate efforts within the United Nations system for immediate support
- At the 26 August special session of the Human Rights Council, call for the establishment of an independent monitoring and investigative mechanism that is adequately staffed and resourced.
A full list of recommendations and annex to the call can be found here.
Signed by:
- ACOS Alliance
- ARTICLE 19
- Association of European Journalists (AEJ)
- Association for International Broadcasting
- Association of Freelance Journalists (Kenya)
- Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma
- Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)
- Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM)
- Committee to Protect Journalists
- Dart Centre Asia Pacific
- Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma
- DW Akademie, Deutsche Welle
- English PEN
- Ethnovision
- European Broadcasting Union
- European Centre for Press Media Freedom
- European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
- Freedom House
- Free Press Unlimited
- The Frontline Club
- The Frontline Freelance Register
- Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
- The GroundTruth Project
- Guardian News and Media
- IFEX
- International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)
- International Media Support
- International News Safety Institute (INSI)
- International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF)
- International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
- International Press Institute (IPI)
- Internews
- James W. Foley Legacy Foundation
- Maharat Foundation
- Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)
- Overseas Press Club of America
- Overseas Press Club Foundation
- Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
- PEN America
- PEN Canada
- PEN Germany
- PEN Japan
- PEN International
- Public Media Alliance
- Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
- Rory Peck Trust
- Samir Kassir Foundation
- The Signals Network
- Storyhunter
- VII Agency
- VII Foundation
- Women Photograph
- World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)