Afghan journalists report that their identities were stolen by many of the evacuees

Afghan journalists and activists denounced on Monday the alleged evacuation of thousands of people with false documents on international community flights after the arrival of the Taliban to power, while thousands of other vulnerable people were trapped in Afghanistan.

Directors of media and civil organizations “They produced false documents for thousands of their relatives and others and they have evacuated them or are trying to evacuate them as journalists or activists”Nasir Akhtarzai, founder of the Afghanistan Journalists and Civil Society Group (ACSAJG).

“They have already sent thousands of them abroad and are trying to evacuate the rest,” he assured after holding a press conference in Kabul to denounce what happened.

According to the representative of the union, which groups around 1,000 press workers, since last August 15, hundreds of thousands of people have presented false documents to get out of the country.

For example, according to Akhtarzai, “One of the television stations that only broadcast music, used its connection with foreigners and is in the process and trying to evacuate dozens of its own relatives, even though it did not have any journalists on its channel.”

In the meantime, “real journalists and members of civil society have stayed in Kabul and their lives are really in danger. “, said.

The organization called on recipient countries to evaluate and verify these people’s documents, and to “evacuate only eligible journalists who are at real risk.”

“There is currently no organization in Afghanistan to take responsibility for this situation, to listen to the concerns of journalists and to find a way out ”, said.

With the arrival of the taliban to power, more than a month ago, the situation for the press has worsened with attacks by Islamists, fear of reprisals, and the closure of many media.

At least 153 of the 500 active media outlets, including television, radio, newspapers and news agencies, have closed since the arrival of the Taliban.

No copies of the city’s more than 20 newspapers have been reprinted in the Afghan capital, and all are now closed.

At this time, “most of the journalists lost their jobs or receive an amount of salary that is insufficient for their livelihood,” he explained.

During evacuations by international forces, coordinated by the United States and other countries, more than 120,000 people left Afghanistan after the Taliban captured Kabul.

During the two weeks of evacuations, which ended shortly before midnight on August 31, chaos gripped the airport in the Afghan capital, and the huge crowds of people and violence around the terminal limited entry to a lucky few or privileged.

Much of the crowd surrounding the airbase entrances during evacuations were people trying to escape the country even without documents or travel permits.

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