Bbc Journalists In Afghanistan: Staying Or Leaving?

Eight former BBC journalists who were left behind in Afghanistan during the British military withdrawal in August 2021 are seeking to be evacuated to the UK. The journalists claim that they and their families are at high risk of being killed by the Taliban because of their work, which supported the UK government. They have faced threats, torture, and attacks on their lives. A judge has ordered ministers to reconsider their applications, ruling that previous rejections had not taken into account how the Taliban perceived the BBC and those associated with it.

Eight ex-BBC journalists in Afghanistan are seeking UK relocation

Eight former BBC journalists in Afghanistan are seeking relocation to the UK after their applications were rejected. The journalists worked in high-profile roles for the BBC and other media agencies in Afghanistan before British troops withdrew in August 2021. They are now in hiding, claiming they and their families are at "high risk" of being killed by the Taliban due to their work, which supported the UK government.

The journalists' lawyers told London's High Court in December 2022 that the UK government had "betrayed the debt of gratitude" owed to them by refusing to relocate them after the Taliban's takeover. The lawyers argued that the journalists were embedded with British military personnel, worked on British government-funded projects, and exposed Taliban corruption and abuse. They further stated that the Taliban views the BBC as part of the UK government, which places the journalists at even greater risk.

In response, representatives for the UK government argued that none of the eight journalists were eligible for relocation under its Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) programme. They contended that the Taliban's perception of the BBC was irrelevant to the journalists' eligibility. However, Judge Peter Lane ruled in February 2023 that the decisions had been made on an incorrect basis and ordered the government to reconsider the cases. He stated that the perception of the Taliban was "clearly relevant" to the risks faced by the journalists.

The group of journalists has spent over a year in hiding and has faced threats, torture, and attacks due to their work. They argue that there is clear and compelling evidence that they met the relevant criteria for relocation under ARAP, including contributing to the objectives of the UK government in Afghanistan. They have asked the government to urgently relocate them and their families to the UK. The UK government has not yet committed to evacuating the group but has 21 days to reconsider each case.

The journalists claim they are at high risk of being killed by the Taliban

Eight former BBC journalists and their families claim they are at high risk of being killed by the Taliban. The journalists worked in high-profile roles for the BBC and other media agencies in Afghanistan before British troops withdrew in August 2021. They are now in hiding and have been for over a year. The group has faced threats, torture, and attacks on their lives. One journalist said that the Taliban believed he was a spy and had tried to shoot him. Another had a bomb placed under their car, and two others had been interrogated and tortured.

The journalists' lawyers argue that their clients are at high risk because their work supported the UK government. The journalists worked for the BBC World Service, which receives about £100m in funding a year from the Foreign Office. They were embedded with British military personnel and reported in support of the British mission, exposing Taliban corruption and abuse. They also played a role in promoting media freedom and supporting democracy and human rights.

The Taliban has targeted journalists and activists in Afghanistan. Bismillah Aimaq, an Afghan journalist and editor-in-chief of a local radio station, is at least the fifth journalist to be killed in Afghanistan in recent months. Many of the incidents have not been claimed by any militant group, but officials have accused the Taliban of being responsible for most of the killings.

The eight journalists are seeking to be evacuated to the UK and have challenged the UK government's rejection of their applications. A judge has ordered ministers to reconsider their cases, finding that the original decisions did not take into account how the Taliban perceives the BBC and those associated with it. The journalists' lawyers argue that the Taliban views the BBC as part of the UK government and that this perception puts the journalists at risk.

The UK rejected their applications to relocate from Afghanistan

Eight former BBC journalists who had their applications to relocate from Afghanistan to the UK rejected are expecting their cases to be reconsidered. The journalists worked in high-profile roles for the BBC and other media agencies in Afghanistan before British troops withdrew last year. They are now in hiding, claiming they and their families are at "high risk" of being killed because of their work, which supported the UK government.

The group has spent more than a year in hiding in Afghanistan after being left behind during the August 2021 British withdrawal. Ministers rejected their cases, a year after receiving the applications. One of the group said the Taliban believed he was a spy and had tried to shoot him. All eight journalists had worked for many years for the BBC in Afghanistan, and some had worked directly with the British government on projects including democracy and media training.

The group's lawyer, Erin Alock, said their pleas for help went unanswered for a year. She added that the work they were doing went towards British objectives in Afghanistan, which were not just military objectives but also included promoting democracy. When their applications were eventually considered, ministers refused to resettle any of them because officials concluded their work wasn't directly connected to UK operations.

The UK government launched the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) in April 2021, promising to bring Afghan citizens who had worked with the UK – and whose lives were therefore now in danger in their home country – to safety in Britain. However, many saw their applications rejected.

The ARAP scheme was launched on 1 April 2021 and remains open. It is for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK government in exposed or meaningful roles and may include an offer of relocation to the UK for those deemed eligible by the Ministry of Defence. Afghan citizens who are eligible for relocation to the UK under the ARAP may relocate with a partner, dependent children, and additional family members who are also deemed eligible.

The group of journalists say there is clear and compelling evidence that they met the relevant criteria for relocation under ARAP, including contributing to the objectives of the UK government in Afghanistan. No justification has been given for rejecting the supporting evidence provided. The government was asked to reconsider the refusals and to urgently relocate the group to the UK. Judicial review proceedings have been expedited and are listed for a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The claimants worked for the BBC World Service, which receives about £100m in funding a year from the Foreign Office. Their lawyers said the journalists were embedded with British military personnel, reported in support of the British mission, and also exposed Taliban corruption and abuse. They were said to have played "an important role in the development of a free media and accountable democracy".

A judge has ordered ministers to reconsider the journalists' cases

In February 2023, a group of eight former BBC journalists who had their applications to relocate from Afghanistan to the UK rejected were expecting their cases to be reconsidered after they successfully challenged the rationale behind the refusals at the high court. The journalists worked in high-profile roles for the BBC and other media agencies in Afghanistan before British troops withdrew in August 2021. They are now in hiding, claiming they and their families are at "high risk" of being killed because of their work, which supported the UK government.

On February 21, 2024, it was reported that the eight journalists could be evacuated to the UK after a judge ordered ministers to reconsider their plight. The group has spent more than a year in hiding in Afghanistan after they were left behind during the British withdrawal. Ministers had rejected their cases, a year after receiving the applications.

The High Court in London was told that one of the journalists had a bomb placed under their car, another was shot at in public—leading to the severe injury of a family member—and two others had been interrogated and tortured in relation to their work for the BBC.

The group's lawyer, Erin Alock, said their pleas for help went unanswered for a year. "When the British evacuated from Kabul, they were not put forward for evacuation by the BBC because they weren't employed at that time," she said. "They were left behind. But the work that they were doing did go to British objectives in Afghanistan, those objectives weren't just military objectives. They were things like promoting democracy."

On Monday, a judge said those rejections had not taken into account how the Taliban perceived the BBC and anyone associated with it. Mr Justice Lane said there was a "more than fanciful prospect" that the eight would have been allowed to come to the UK had government caseworkers recognised the risk.

Ministers now have 21 days to reconsider each case—a move that the group hopes will lead to their evacuation. A spokesman for the government said it would consider the judgment but has given no immediate commitment to evacuate the group.

The journalists' lawyer says their clients are pleased their applications will be reconsidered

Eight former BBC journalists in Afghanistan, who had their applications to relocate to the UK rejected, are pleased that their cases will be reconsidered. The journalists have been in hiding and claiming that they and their families are at "high risk" of being killed by the Taliban because of their work, which supported the UK government.

The journalists' lawyer, Erin Alock, from Leigh Day, said: "Our clients are pleased their applications will be reconsidered by the Arap team. They have been living in fear for over 18 months now, waiting to find out whether they will be relocated to the UK. During this time, the group has been subjected to threats, torture, and attacks on their lives because of their work."

One of the journalists said that the Taliban believed he was a spy and had tried to shoot him. He thanked the judge for intervening, saying: "We have regularly changed our house – my children have been to different schools."

The journalists worked for the BBC World Service, which receives about £100m in funding a year from the Foreign Office. Their lawyers said they were embedded with British military personnel, reported in support of the British mission, and also exposed Taliban corruption and abuse. They played "an important role in the development of a free media and accountable democracy".

The group of journalists first brought a legal challenge after their applications under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) went unanswered for almost a year. The government conceded the case and issued an apology for the failure to progress their applications. However, shortly after, the journalists were refused relocation on the basis that they did not meet the eligibility criteria.

Frequently asked questions