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A challenging environment for media activities

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The Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has published a report on the state of the media after the rule of the Taliban, saying that this group has created a challenging environment for the activities of the media and journalists are facing increasing challenges.

Over the past three years, UNAMA has documented the human rights violations of 336 journalists and media workers, including 256 cases of arrest and detention, 130 cases of torture and ill-treatment, and 75 cases of threats.

UNAMA has said in a statement that in this report it has documented the increasing challenges that the media and journalists are facing. Journalists and media workers operate under censorship and severe restrictions on access to information, according to the report.

According to UNAMA, female journalists and media workers in particular face more restrictions and discriminatory practices. Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva, the special representative of the UN Secretary General in Afghanistan, said: “For every country, having a free media is not only a choice, but a necessity. Journalists and media workers in Afghanistan work in difficult conditions. They often face unclear rules about what they can and cannot report, and risk intimidation and arbitrary detention for being perceived as critical.”

She asked the Taliban to guarantee the safety and security of all journalists and media workers and to recognize the importance of women’s presence in the media sector. Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, called the findings of the UNAMA report very worrying and asked the governing authorities to coordinate their actions with Afghanistan’s obligations under international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Suspension of media activities in Afghanistan

According to UNAMA, the media sector in Afghanistan had grown significantly during the republic, but after August 15, 2021, a large number of media outlets have stopped their activities.

According to the UNAMA report, before the Taliban took over, there were 543 media outlets with 10,790 employees, but in November 2021, about 43pc of these media outlets ceased to operate and the number of media employees decreased to 4,360.

Meanwhile, 84pc of female media workers have lost their jobs. Currently, it is said that there are no female journalists working in some provinces. The economic problems caused by the cut off of foreign aid and income, the mass migration of journalists and the restrictions of the Taliban are considered to be the factors that stop the activities of the media.

UNAMA has noted that the Taliban have created a challenging environment for the media to operate, including censorship and lack of access to information. In addition, according to the report, journalists under Taliban rule are subjected to intimidation and threats, arbitrary arrest and detention, ill-treatment, prosecution and imprisonment for performing their duties.

Taliban restrictions on the media outlets

UNAMA has said that media activities in Afghanistan are subject to a series of restrictions – among these restrictions is the ban on the publication of music and films in which there is music and women are shown. According to this report, in media offices, men and women should work in separate offices, and male and female presenters should not appear in the same program. Also, female employees must cover their faces. Likewise, in some provinces, women are not allowed to call radio programs, unless the program is about health and religious issues for women.

UNAMA said in its report that media outlets that failed to comply with these restrictions were suspended or forced to cease operations. According to UNAMA, the law of the Taliban has intensified the restrictions on the media. The new restrictions include banning the publication of live photos and videos in the media.

With the implementation of the law of the Taliban, media video broadcasts have been stopped in some provinces, and journalists are not allowed to take pictures of living creatures. The Taliban say that they are implementing this law gradually.

Intervening in the affairs of active media outlets in exile

The UNAMA report states that after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, some media have moved their activities abroad. According to UNAMA, these media are operating in violation of the Taliban’s regulations and cannot obtain a license to operate in Afghanistan. These media are permanently exposed to Taliban intervention and suspension.

According to the UNAMA report, journalists who work for active media in exile are working in secret and are more likely to be caught and arrested arbitrarily. The UNAMA report states that the Taliban also intervened in the affairs of foreign journalists working for international media and asked them to first share their subject for review and approval. It has been said that the Taliban have told foreign journalists that the issuance of visas is subject to compliance with the guidelines of the media and respect for the “red lines”.

According to the UNAMA report, the Taliban consider reports focused on restrictions on women and girls, IS attacks, and the presence of armed groups such as al-Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban to be inappropriate.

The challenge of accessing information

Referring to the challenge of access to information, the UNAMA report states that the limited work environment of the media and the difficulties in accessing information have affected the accuracy of media reports and provided space for the increase of false information.

According to a survey conducted by the National Union of Afghan Journalists in September 2023, only one percent of the total of 433 journalists surveyed rated “good” access to information in Afghanistan. According to UNAMA, access to information is challenging, especially on issues considered sensitive to the Taliban, such as security incidents, protests or access to education and human rights issues.

ASIA

South Korea extends arrest warrant for ousted President Yoon

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South Korean authorities have granted a request to extend an arrest warrant issued to detain suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning in connection with his surprise declaration of martial law last month.

The warrant, which expired at midnight (10:00 p.m. local time) on Monday, was reissued Tuesday afternoon (local time) by the Seoul Western District Court at the request of the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO).

The deadline for the warrant was not announced. These warrants are usually valid for seven days but can be extended for a longer period if the judge deems it necessary.

The CIO, which is working with the police and the defense ministry to investigate Yoon, also requested the police to execute Yoon’s detention warrant. The police have a larger force and more equipment than the anti-corruption agency to carry out Yoon’s arrest.

Yoon, who was stripped of his presidential powers last month after a brief martial law declaration shook the country, is wanted for questioning in multiple investigations, including charges of leading an uprising—a crime punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

The approval of the arrest warrant, first issued on December 31, marks the first time such a step has been taken against a sitting president.

Investigators attempted to detain Yoon on Friday but were forced to withdraw after an hours-long standoff at the presidential compound.

On Monday, protesters both for and against Yoon gathered near the presidential compound, accompanied by a heavy police presence. Yoon’s supporters vowed to thwart any attempts to arrest him.

According to a video shared by CNN affiliate JTBC, barbed wire was erected on the walls around the compound, and entrances were blocked with vehicles.

Yoon resists the decision

According to the CIO, Yoon, a former prosecutor, has so far refused to respond to investigators’ calls for cooperation.

Once the warrant goes into effect, a 48-hour countdown will begin for investigators to hold and interrogate Yoon. The CIO will need to issue another search warrant during that time to keep Yoon in custody longer.

Yoon’s declaration of martial law in December was widely criticized by the public. After he refused to resign, lawmakers, including members of his own party, voted to impeach him.

However, the suspended president’s lawyers have insisted that the measures taken against him violate South Korean law, and Yoon continues to face investigations and an impeachment trial in one of the country’s highest courts.

Yoon’s defense team has filed an injunction against the arrest warrant with the Constitutional Court and a separate appeal against the decision with a lower court.

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ASIA

China tries to reassure markets as stocks and renminbi fall

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China’s regulators sought to calm markets on Monday as stocks and the renminbi experienced a shaky start to 2025, influenced by weak economic data and geopolitical uncertainty ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency.

Mainland China’s CSI 300 index dropped by 0.2% on Monday, marking a 4.1% decline in the first three trading days of the year, making it Asia’s worst-performing major index so far in 2025. Small-cap stocks in the CSI 2000 index fell 6.6% since the year’s start. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dipped by 0.4% on Monday, with a year-to-date decline of 1.2%.

Amid these declines, Chinese stock market regulators convened meetings with international investors, and the central bank reaffirmed its commitment to stabilizing the currency. This occurred alongside concerns about Trump’s plans to increase tariffs on Chinese exports.

“Right now, everyone is wondering what Trump 2.0 will bring,” said Jason Lui, head of Asia-Pacific equity and derivatives strategy at BNP Paribas. “It’s reasonable for investors to take some profit,” he added.

The renminbi fell to a 15-month low of Rmb7.33 against the dollar on Monday, despite the People’s Bank of China keeping the daily trading band for the onshore renminbi unchanged. Analysts linked the currency’s downward pressure to corresponding weaknesses in Chinese stocks. Kevin Liu, a strategist at CICC, attributed the pressure to weak manufacturing data, the dollar index reaching a two-year high, and the anticipated effects of Trump’s presidency.

In an effort to reassure investors, the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges emphasized the resilience and solid fundamentals of China’s economy during a weekend meeting with foreign institutions. They welcomed feedback and suggestions to address concerns about Chinese stocks, as outlined in a statement on Sunday.

On Monday, the central bank maintained its daily midpoint fixing rate for the renminbi at Rmb7.19, allowing it to trade within a 2% range. The state-owned Financial News stressed the central bank’s readiness to prevent excessive exchange rate volatility, emphasizing its “sufficient tools” to maintain currency stability.

Investor sentiment remained weak as long-term government bonds continued to attract buyers. Concerns over domestic consumption led to speculation that the central bank might further ease monetary policy. The yield on 10-year Chinese government bonds fell to 1.61% on Monday, nearing an all-time low.

Despite Beijing’s promises to boost domestic consumption following a prolonged property crisis, the year began on a subdued note. The Chinese People’s Congress is set to meet in March to outline its economic policy agenda for what analysts expect will be a challenging year.

Winnie Wu, chief China equity strategist at Bank of America, highlighted the need for policies aimed at stimulating consumption, supporting the private sector, and addressing youth unemployment. “In terms of the fundamental things to look for in 2025, we think investors need to see more on consumption,” Wu said.

Despite the rough start, analysts noted that Chinese stocks rebounded strongly in 2024, with the CSI 300 gaining 14.7% over the year. “We think the worst decline is over,” Wu concluded.

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ASIA

Vietnam GDP growth accelerates in 2024 driven by strong exports

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Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 7.09% in 2024, reaching $476.3 billion, up from a 5.05% increase in 2023, according to government data released on Monday. The growth was fueled by strong exports and robust foreign investment inflows.

GDP growth in the fourth quarter was 7.55%, marking the fastest quarterly expansion in over two years, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported.

The Southeast Asian country, known as a regional manufacturing hub, capitalized on a recovery in global consumption despite enduring Asia’s strongest typhoon last year.

“This is a positive result amid challenges, including natural disasters, and lays a good foundation for growth in 2025,” Nguyen Thi Huong, head of the Statistics Office, stated during a press conference. The GSO report highlighted that exports in 2024 increased by 14.3% year-on-year, reaching $405.53 billion, driven by electronics, smartphones, clothing, and agricultural products.

Conversely, imports grew by 16.7% to $380.76 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $24.77 billion.

The strong economic rebound was also supported by government efforts to boost coal imports for power generation, preventing electricity shortages seen in prior years. Coal imports rose 24.8% year-on-year to 63.8 million tonnes, while electricity generation grew 9.6%, reaching 293.3 billion kilowatt-hours.

Foreign investment inflows into Vietnam increased 9.4%, totaling $25.35 billion in 2024. Industrial production output rose 8.4%, while average consumer prices increased by 3.63%.

Vietnam has set an ambitious GDP growth target of 6.5% to 7.0% for 2025, with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressing optimism for an 8.0% growth rate.

“Going forward, Vietnam will actively monitor monetary policies, stabilize exchange rates, and closely watch major trading partners to implement timely measures,” Huong added.

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