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November 13, 2025
Afghan Journalist Salma Niazi Wins Dual Global Honors for Courage and Truth
Afghan journalist Salma Niazi, founder and editor-in-chief of The Afghan Times, has been recognised with two major international awards for her fearless reporting and steadfast defense of press freedom. She received the 2025 One Young World Journalist of the Year Award, celebrating journalists under 35 who create social impact through storytelling, and the Lyra McKee Award for Bravery, which honours extraordinary courage in the pursuit of truth.
After the Taliban’s return to power in 2022, Niazi fled Afghanistan, first seeking refuge in Pakistan before settling in Dublin in 2024. From exile, she continues to lead The Afghan Times, a publication that persists against overwhelming odds to amplify the voices of Afghan women and marginalised communities.
In accepting the Lyra McKee Award, Niazi reflected on the slain journalist’s legacy, describing McKee’s story as a reminder of truth’s enduring power and of the responsibility to represent the voiceless. The One Young World announcement praised The Afghan Times as a vital platform preserving women’s perspectives amid severe restrictions on independent journalism.
Through her coverage of women’s rights, repression, and social exclusion, often under threat and surveillance, Niazi exemplifies the resilience of Afghan journalists and the unbreakable power of truth.
To read the full story – https://tjcproject.org/championing-truth-in-adversity/