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November 08, 2025 – Afghanistan –
Afghan journalist Salma Niazi, founder and editor-in-chief of The Afghan Times, has been honoured with two prestigious global awards for her unwavering commitment to press freedom and courageous reporting under oppressive conditions. She is the recipient of the 2025 One Young World Journalist of the Year Award, which recognises outstanding journalists under 35 who drive meaningful change in their communities through storytelling. In addition, she has been awarded the Lyra McKee Award for Bravery, a tribute to journalists who demonstrate extraordinary courage in the pursuit of truth.
Following the return to power of the Taliban in 2022, Niazi fled Afghanistan and initially hid in Pakistan before moving into exile in Dublin in early 2024. From exile, she continues to lead The Afghan Times, which has operated under the most daunting conditions to elevate the voices of Afghan women and marginalised communities.
In accepting the Lyra McKee Award, Niazi remarked that the legacy of Lyra McKee — the young journalist tragically killed while reporting in 2019 — underscores the power of truth and the importance of giving voice to those silenced. The One Young World announcement emphasised how her platform stands as a lifeline for Afghan women’s perspectives amid a media landscape increasingly hostile to independent reporting.
Her body of work includes courageous documentation of women’s rights, social exclusion, and the impact of Taliban restrictions, often produced under threats of harassment, arrest, or violence. As she explains, “many of our reporters are under constant fear … every story they produce comes with enormous risk, not just to them but also to their families.”
These dual recognitions serve not only as a testament to Salma Niazi’s individual bravery but also as a beacon of solidarity for all journalists working under threat, particularly women reporters, whose voices are increasingly silenced. In awarding her this year, the international community sends a clear message: even in exile, even in hiding, truth-telling matters.
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