Toronto: Free Speech Centre Calls for Greater Support for Afghan Journalists on Fourth Anniversary of Kabul’s Fall

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On the fourth anniversary of the Fall of Kabul, Canada’s Free Speech Centre issued a statement urging the Canadian government to expand its support for Afghan journalists, both inside the country and in exile. While welcoming Canada’s moral leadership in condemning the Taliban’s repression, the Centre stressed the urgent need to turn principled words into concrete action.

According to the statement, four years after Kabul’s collapse, Afghanistan remains one of the most restrictive environments in the world for media. Independent outlets have been dismantled, press freedom extinguished, and civic space completely eliminated.

The Free Speech Centre called on the Canadian government to:

• Facilitate the resettlement of Afghan journalists still stranded in neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey;

• Allocate resources to monitor the situation of journalists still in Afghanistan and support those in exile as they rebuild their lives and continue their advocacy for freedom of expression.

The nonprofit, which is entirely volunteer-run, described its core mission as responding to the urgent needs of journalists at risk, particularly those from Afghanistan. Despite limited resources, the Centre has forged strong partnerships in Canada with Journalists for Human Rights, the Canadian Association of Journalists, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, and publications such as The Walrus. To date, it has organized several high-profile events and provided assistance to hundreds of exiled journalists.

Said Najib Asil, Founder and Executive Director of the Free Speech Centre, stated: “On this somber anniversary, we join the Government of Canada in reaffirming our solidarity with the Afghan people. We call on Canada to continue transforming words into action—matching its principled statements with the resources, protections, and diplomatic leadership necessary to safeguard Afghan journalists and defend the right of Afghans to determine their own future.”