Press Freedom Groups Urge Pakistan to Halt Deportations of Afghan Journalists

March 14, 2026 – Pakistan/Afghanistan –

International press freedom organizations have called on Pakistan to immediately stop the detention and deportation of Afghan journalists living in exile, warning that forced returns could expose them to danger under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

In a joint appeal addressed to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, several advocacy groups, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the Journalists in Need Network, expressed deep concern over what they described as a growing crackdown on Afghan journalists residing in Pakistan. The organizations reported an increase in arrests, harassment, and deportations of media professionals who had previously fled Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

According to the groups, several Afghan journalists have recently been detained and transferred to holding facilities in Pakistan as part of broader immigration enforcement measures. The organizations documented more than 20 cases of Afghan journalists being arrested since the beginning of 2026, while at least six journalists supported by RSF were forcibly returned to Afghanistan in the previous two weeks. Overall, at least nine journalists have reportedly been deported from Pakistan since January.

Press freedom advocates warn that deporting journalists to Afghanistan could place them at severe risk of retaliation by Taliban authorities. Many Afghan journalists fled the country because of threats, intimidation, or restrictions imposed on the media after the Taliban takeover. Rights groups say those forced to return may face detention, violence, or other forms of persecution because of their previous reporting.

The organizations urged Pakistan to respect the international principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face serious threats to their safety or freedom. They also called on the government to release journalists detained because of their immigration status and to end what they described as arbitrary arrests and harassment targeting Afghan media workers.

Advocacy groups further recommended that Pakistan establish a temporary protection framework for Afghan journalists who remain in the country while awaiting resettlement in third countries. Such measures, they said, should include clear instructions to law enforcement agencies to prevent harassment and extortion and to ensure journalists can remain safely in Pakistan until long-term relocation options become available.

Press freedom organizations emphasized that many Afghan journalists currently living in Pakistan are in a transitional phase while seeking visas or asylum elsewhere. They warned that continued deportations could endanger journalists who fled persecution and undermine international efforts to protect media workers forced into exile.

Reference –

https://amu.tv/230668/

Press Freedom Groups Call on Pakistan to Halt Deportation of Afghan Journalists