Concerns Grow Over Arrest and Deportation of Afghan Journalists from Pakistan

The Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) has raised alarm over the continued arrest and deportation of Afghan journalists by Pakistani police, warning that the practice is causing serious concern.

On Sunday, November 29, AMSO reported that Pakistani police had arrested an Afghan journalist named Hamoon Khamosh along with his wife and child in Islamabad the previous day. The organization said the family now faces possible forced deportation to Afghanistan.

According to the statement, at least six other Afghan journalists have been detained and deported to Afghanistan by Pakistani security forces over the past month.

AMSO noted that many Afghan journalists fled to neighboring countries, including Pakistan, due to severe restrictions on the media, security threats, and political pressure in their home country. However, with the rise in forced deportations, these journalists now face serious threats to their lives, human dignity, and freedom of expression.

The Taliban administration, which currently controls Afghanistan, has been accused of widespread repression of the media and journalists. Media activists warn that returning journalists to this regime could expose them to the risk of arrest, torture, or direct suppression.