Press Statement

Former TV presenter shot dead in Afghanistan

14 May, 2019

Mina Mangal, a former television presenter who is now working as parliamentary adviser, was shot in broad daylight Saturday, May 11, morning in Kabul. She reportedly has received threats and fear of her life. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) condemns the killing of Mina Mangal and calls the authorities to urgently investigate whether the incident.

Mangal was working as an adviser to the Cultural Commission of Wolesi Jirga. She had worked as a television presenter for over 10 years. According to reports, Mangal was shot dead on her way to work. Early reports suggest that she was shot by her ex-husband.

According to the IFJ report, In the Shadow of violence: journalists and media killed in 2018 Afghanistan had recorded the most killings last year, recording 16 journalists and media workers killed

AIJA said: “AIJA condemns the assassination of Mina; her killing is a big damage to the media. The murder of Mina has been a major disaster for the family of the press, and we call on the Attorney General’s Office to scrutinize the case thoroughly and make the perpetrators of the murder subject to law.”

The IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “We condemn the killing of Mina Mangal and demand an immediate investigation to determine if her murder was work related. The threats and safety issues that women journalists face in Afghanistan making increasingly difficult for women to work in media. We urge the Afghan authorities to ensure the safety of the media.”

Written By

IFJ Asia-Pacific IFJ Asia-Pacific

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 140 countries.
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