Two Afghan women journalists were recently killed in Afghanistan. With no final results yet on the investigation, freedom of expression and women's rights advocates condemn the crimes claiming that these incidents exemplify the difficulties journalists, especially women, currently face in the country.

Shokiba Sanga Amaaj, a reporter and host of the Pashtu-language channel, Shamshad TV, was shot dead at her home on the night of June 1. Just a few days later, Zakia Zaki, founder of one of the first community radio stations run entirely by women in Afghanistan, Sada-e-Sulh (Peace Radio), was also shot dead inside her home on June 5.

Police have begun an investigation, but no motive has been determined yet. Observers say that the motive behind the murder is far from clear.

But the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) believes that “Amaaj was targeted for the simple reason that she was a prominent media figure in a milieu that remains hostile to working women.”

Similarly, the head of the Independent Association of Afghan Journalists (IAAJ),  Rahimullah Samander, stated that Zaki was killed for the reason that “she believed in freedom of expression.”

Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Koïchiro Matsuura, also expressed concern saying that “These crimes are all the more shocking because they not only undermine the basic human right of freedom of expression, but also the right of women to exercise a profession that is vital for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.”

Shokiba Sanga Amaaj, who died at 22, was a popular television reporter and host. Zakia Zaki has headed Sada-e-Sulh (Peace Radio) since its inception in 2001, following the fall of the Taliban. Her radio station broadcast programmes on education, human rights, and women's rights.

Afghanistan's government has actually introduced several measures to encourage women into the workplace and politics. However, women's participation continues to be limited by their poor education as well as the increasing violence and hostility from Afghan men who are not used to a woman's criticism.

Sources:
“Afghan Radio Owner and Reporter Killed” from Feminist Majority Foundation, posted on June 6, 2007, <http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=10347> .
“Female television reporter shot dead” from the International Freedom of Expression eXchange, posted on June 4, 2007, <http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/83871/> .
“Second female Afghan journalist killed in five days” from The Guardian, posted on June 6, 2007, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,,2096815,00.html>.
“UNESCO Director-General condemns murders of Afghan journalists Zakia Zaki and Shokiba Sanga” from UNESCO, posted on June 11, 2007, <http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=24732&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html>.