Afghanistan: Taliban Declares Open Season on Journalists, One Dead
7 May 2021
“Unidentified gunmen” killed a prominent Afghan journalist on Thursday following a declaration by the Taliban that it would soon begin targeting members of the media with which it has disagreements.
The Taliban claimed not to be involved in the death of former Tolo News anchor Nemat Rawan, who at the time of his death was working for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Finance. Rawan had previously worked for Tolo News’ Pashto language service and hosted a political debate show called
Tawde Khabare (“Hot Topics”). The Taliban does not consider the government of Afghanistan legitimate, but rather a group “usurping” its own power. Rawan’s role as a government official may have made him a target.
Slain Journalist Nemat Rawan Laid to Rest in Zabul
Nemat Rawan, former TOLOnews anchor and a media official at the Ministry of Finance, who was killed in an attack by unidentified gunmen in Kandahar on Thursday, was laid to rest in his home town in Qalat city, the center of Zabul province.
Rawan’s family asked the Afghan government, particularly security agencies, to find the perpetrators behind his murder and bring them to justice.
“The Afghan government has failed to prevent targeted killings of journalists,” said Zaman Sultani, a researcher at Amnesty International in Afghanistan.
“No one accepted responsibility of assassinations of journalists. This can be very dangerous. It paves the way for those who are against freedom of speech,” said Mujib Khalwatgar, the head of NAI.