Afghan Journalists Left in Limbo Awaiting Brazil’s Humanitarian Visas

DID Press: An Afghan media watchdog has warned that a group of Afghan journalists stranded in Iran and Pakistan are facing growing risks and legal uncertainty due to prolonged delays in the issuance of humanitarian visas by Brazil.

According to the Afghan Organization for Media Support, the journalists fled Afghanistan after the Taliban’s return to power, citing direct security threats linked to their professional work. However, the absence of a clear timeline for Brazil’s humanitarian visa processing has left them in prolonged limbo in host countries, exposing them to legal vulnerability and heightened personal risk.

The organization said the threat of forced deportation from host states is increasing, alongside severe psychological and physical pressure on the journalists, whose temporary legal status has in many cases expired or remains uncertain.

It urged the Brazilian government and international partners to expedite and make transparent the review of humanitarian visa applications, stressing that delays undermine protection commitments made to at-risk media workers.

The group added that safeguarding journalists amid expanding restrictions on independent media in Afghanistan constitutes a shared international responsibility, warning that prolonged inaction could place lives at serious risk.