Paris, March 7 (NationPress) A prominent global organization advocating for press freedom has voiced serious alarm over a recent surge in oppression affecting Afghan refugees, particularly exiled journalists residing in Pakistan.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) cautioned that the rising hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which Islamabad labeled an "open war" on February 27, are being exploited as justification for this crackdown.

As noted by the organization, the Afghan journalists seeking asylum in Pakistan are facing arrests and threats of deportation, placing them at significant risk of fatal reprisals should they be returned to the Taliban-controlled regime.

The RSF pointed out that several exiled Afghan journalists have been detained in Pakistan within the past week amid escalating military tensions between the two nations.

Currently held in detention facilities, these individuals contribute to the nearly 20 arrests documented by RSF since the beginning of 2026.

In the last 15 days alone, at least six journalists supported by RSF have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan, bringing the total number identified by the organization to nine since January.

Highlighting growing concerns among media professionals, the RSF quoted one journalist as saying: "Since February 27, police have been executing frequent checks and operations targeting Afghans in our locality."

Numerous others have reported incidents of extortion by Pakistani authorities, outside any legal parameters.

One journalist recounted, "After spending an entire day in a Pakistani police detention center, I was compelled to pay 115,000 PKR (approximately 400 USD) to evade deportation and ensure my release. The very next day, my landlord demanded that I vacate the premises."

The RSF emphasized that all these media professionals fled Afghanistan due to the oppressive measures enforced by the Taliban, which has been systematically shutting down media outlets and persecuting those who continue to report the news.

"The current volatile situation must not serve as a justification for arbitrary arrests and expulsions. Such reprisals are particularly unacceptable because they target media personnel who escaped Afghanistan precisely due to threats from the Taliban. Arresting them and returning them to their homeland exposes them to clear risks: arrest, violence, and potentially worse outcomes," stated Celia Mercier, Head of RSF's South Asia desk.

She added, "RSF urges Pakistani authorities to halt the arrests and deportations of Afghan journalists immediately, to ensure their protection, and to adhere to the principle of non-refoulement."

This escalation, according to RSF, is part of a larger strategy by Pakistani authorities to expel Afghan refugees that began in 2023, amidst rising tensions with the Taliban regime.