The Afghanistan Media Support Organisation (AMSO), in coordination and collaboration with Afghan journalists residing in Pakistan and Iran, has launched a campaign to draw global attention to the urgent plight of these journalists. Under the slogans “No to Deportation of Journalists from Pakistan and Iran”, “Accelerate the Transfer of Journalists to Safe Countries”, and “Being a Journalist Is Not a Crime”, the initiative seeks to stop forced deportations and address the severe threats to journalists’ safety and lives.

Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, hundreds of journalists and media workers have fled to neighboring countries—particularly Pakistan and Iran—in search of safety. However, many now face restrictive visa policies, the risk of arrest or deportation, and the lack of adequate legal protections.

AMSO officials stated: “Afghan journalists who escaped violence and censorship are now at serious risk of being forcibly returned to Afghanistan, where they could face persecution from the Taliban. The international community and press freedom organizations must take urgent action.”

The campaign calls on all human rights bodies, press freedom groups, and the global public to amplify the voices of at-risk journalists by using its official hashtags on social media:
#NoToDeportationOfJournalistsFromPakistanAndIran
#AccelerateTheTransferOfJournalistsToSafeCountries
#BeingAJournalistIsNotACrime