TORONTO — The Free Speech Center hosted its annual conference Tuesday in Toronto to mark World Press Freedom Day, turning a spotlight on the deteriorating state of press freedom in Afghanistan under Taliban rule and the global threats journalists face.
The May 6 event brought together Afghan and Canadian journalists, university faculty, students and leaders from media rights organizations to discuss the urgent challenges confronting independent journalism.
Divided into two panels, the conference examined both global pressures on press freedom and the extreme constraints faced by journalists in Afghanistan.
The first panel, “Truth in an Age of Repression,” featured Jennifer Hollett of The Walrus, Michelle Shephard of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, Brent Jolly of the Canadian Association of Journalists and Lucan Way, a political science professor at the University of Toronto. The discussion contrasted the opportunities available to journalists in democratic societies with the repressive environments confronting media elsewhere.
The second panel, “From Headlines to Silence: The Struggle for Journalism in Afghanistan,” focused on the country’s shrinking media landscape under Taliban rule.
Moderated by Samia Madwar of The Walrus, the discussion included university lecturer Shuaib Rahim, Farida Nikzad, a researcher at Carleton University, and Zahra Nader, founder of Zan Times. Panelists highlighted the resilience of Afghan journalists and the systematic restrictions placed on their work since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
In keynote remarks, Bob Rae, Canada’s permanent representative to the United Nations, warned of an escalating global assault on press freedom.
“Media are being systematically targeted in many parts of the world,” Rae said. “The international community must stand united in defending these fundamental values.”
Najib Asil, founder and president of the Free Speech Center, underscored the dangers journalists continue to face globally.
“The year 2024 was one of the deadliest for journalists in decades,” Asil said. “At least 124 journalists were killed in 18 countries — a number unmatched in the last 50 years.”
The conference also recognized Rachel Pulfer, executive director of Journalists for Human Rights, for the organization’s efforts supporting Afghan journalists in exile. Since 2021, JHR has helped relocate more than 2,400 Afghan journalists and human rights defenders to Canada.
A special tribute was paid to Robaba Mohammadi, an Afghan artist who paints with her mouth due to a physical disability. She was honored for her advocacy for women’s rights through art in Afghanistan.
Several international media organizations and Afghan journalists who could not attend in person contributed video messages reflecting on the press freedom crisis in Afghanistan and around the world.
Calling on the Canadian government and allied media support institutions, Asil urged stronger assistance for Afghan journalists stranded in Pakistan, Iran and Turkey, many of whom face legal uncertainty, financial hardship and threats to their safety.
“Canada and its partners must do more,” he said. “These journalists risked everything to report the truth. They should not be abandoned.”
