New Delhi, 18 August, 2021: The Indian journalists union has urged the Central government to ensure that India joins the international community in providing emergency visas and safe refuge on humanitarian grounds, to Afghan journalists and media workers, particularly women journalists, as they face grave threat to their safety and security.
The IJU has written separate letters to Union Ministers - Home Affairs, External Affairs, Information and Broadcasting and Women and Child Development drawing their attention to the tragedy unfolding in Afghanistan with the Taliban having taken control and the difficulties faced by media there. The Union said that while the government of India is making all endeavour to bring back Indian nationals, it should join the world community to offer special visas for X number of Afghan journalists and their families and the list of documents required for their request to be processed as some countries have done in Europe.
The IJU leadership, President and former member of Press Council Shri Geetartha Pathak and Secretary General and Vice President of International Federation of Journalists Ms Sabina Inderjit have stated that the safety and security of journalists and media workers in Afghanistan is under grave threat and their request for special visas or asylum should be taken up on a priority basis both by the Home and External Affairs Ministries.
As an affiliate of IFJ, the IJU has joined the world media community in expressing its solidarity with its Afghan colleagues.
The IFJ is being flooded with requests from journalists and media workers who fear for their lives in Afghanistan, for safe passage and it is processing these requests. There are Afghan journalists too who are working for Indian media companies and do seek our assistance for asylum in India. The IJU has also asked to its affiliate to make contribution to the IFJ Safety Fund for journalists in Afghanistan. The IJU hopes that the Government of India will accede to its request for safe passage for journalists who are applying for visas to India, therefore, affirming its commitment to press freedom.
