Afghan journalists who have worked for the British media will be considered for relocation to the UK if they come under “imminent threat,” Boris Johnson’s government has announced.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said cases would be considered “on an exceptional basis,” as fears grow over the rapid advances made by the Taliban in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of almost all Western troops.
Dawa Khan Menapal, the director of Afghanistan’s media and information centre, was shot dead in his car in Kabul on Friday. The Taliban said the top media official had been “punished for his deeds”.
The UK’s most prominent media organisations has issued a plea to No 10 to help Afghan journalists, translators and support staff who have worked with them over the past 20 years.
In a joint letter to the prime minister and foreign secretary, 23 media organisations – including The Independent – called on Mr Johnson to follow the example of president Joe Biden, who has given Afghan media staff with US links access to a refugee programme.
In a reply letter to British media organisations, Mr Raab said the “vibrant” Afghan media was one of the country’s great success stories in the past two decades, and should be “celebrated and protected”.
The foreign secretary added: “Your letter highlighted the threat faced by Afghan staff who have worked for your media organisations in Afghanistan, in particular the risk of reprisals they face from the Taliban from their association with the UK.
“Under existing schemes, we are able to consider individual cases for relocation on an exceptional basis, where there is evidence they are under imminent threat due to the nature of their engagement with the UK.”
Mr Raab added: “Journalists (and those supporting them) can be eligible for our support, depending on the individual circumstances that apply.”
The media organisations had appealed for the creation of a special visa programme for Afghan media workers with UK links who are at risk as the Taliban attempts to retake the country.
The workers and their families – amounting to a total of a few dozen people – face an “acute and worsening” threat to their lives from the militant group, which has a track record of persecution and targeted killings of journalists.
Taliban insurgents captured an Afghan provincial capital on Friday amid a deteriorating security situation as the final US, UK and other foreign troops withdraw from the country.
A police spokesman in southern Nimroz province said the capital Zaranj had fallen to the hardline Islamists because of a lack of reinforcements from the Western-backed government.
A Taliban spokesman said on Twitter that the insurgents had “completely liberated” the province and had taken control of the governor’s house, police headquarters and other official buildings.
