Today, May 3, 2026, the world marks World Press Freedom Day while in Afghanistan, nearly five years under Taliban rule have led to the steady extinguishing of the lights of awareness. We, the *Women’s Justice Movement*, observe this day not as a celebration, but as a warning of the near-total collapse of freedom of expression and the systematic silencing of dissenting voices—especially women.

According to the April 2026 report by *Reporters Without Borders (RSF)*, Afghanistan remains near the bottom of the World Press Freedom Index, ranking 175 out of 180 countries. This ranking is not just a number; it reflects a grim reality: more than two-thirds of professional journalists have been forced out of their jobs. Even more devastating, 8 out of every 10 women journalists have been pushed out of public life. Those who continue to work face severe restrictions, including travel bans, exclusion from on-screen reporting, and constant security threats.

Today, Taliban prisons hold voices whose only “crime” was telling the truth. According to documented reports by press freedom organizations, Aziz Watanwal, Hamid Farhadi, Shakib Nazari, Mohammad Bashir Hatef, and Abuzar Saram remain in detention. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all journalists and citizens detained solely for exercising their right to inform.

The suffering of Afghan journalists extends beyond borders. In addition to internal repression, forced deportations from Pakistan have further endangered exiled journalists. Reports from March 2026 indicate that at least 20 Afghan journalists were detained in Pakistan, and 9 were forcibly returned to Afghanistan—returns that expose them to renewed detention and potential abuse.

Call to Action for the International Community

We urge the United Nations, human rights organizations, *Reporters Without Borders*, and all freedom-supporting governments to move beyond expressions of concern and take the following urgent actions:

1. Apply direct and verifiable pressure on the Taliban to secure the immediate release of all detained journalists.
2. Immediately halt the forced deportation of Afghan journalists from Pakistan and establish an international protection framework for at-risk media workers.
3. Condition any political engagement or financial assistance to Afghanistan on measurable guarantees of freedom of expression and access to information.
4. Officially document violations against journalists as serious human rights abuses in United Nations reporting mechanisms.

We, the Women’s Justice Movement, reaffirm that freedom of expression is an inalienable right. Silence in the face of this organized repression is not neutrality—it is complicity in the continuation of repression and the killing of truth.

Women’s Justice Movement
May 3, 2026 – World Press Freedom Day