User:Crtew/Yaqoub Sharafat

Yaqoub Sharafat, also transliterated as Yaqoob, (ca. 1993 – 16 October 2016), an Afghan broadcast journalist for the Radio Television Afghanistan in Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan, was killed in a unknown shooting while returning home from his job reporting freelance work for the Zabul Times

Personal
Not much is known about Yaqoub Sharafat's personal life outside of his work at the Radio Television Afghanistan. Yaqoub Sharafat was born in Zabul, Afghanistan where he was a freelance reporter for the Zabul Times. He was also a radio personality for the state owned local radio station Radio Television Afghanistan. It is known that Sharafat was married, and had one daughter .

Career
As a local radio personality for the state owned Radio Television Afghanistan, Yaqoub Sharafat was a strong and firm believer in freedom of speech. As a(n) "on the side" job, Yaqoub Sharafat was a freelance reporter with local media for the Zabul Times. Yaqoub Sharafat was employed at both for two years before his death in 2016.

Death
Yaqoub Sharafat was a freelance journalist for the Zabul Times, and a radio personality for the Radio Television Afghanistan. It is known that Yaqoub was leaving a clinic (or office) outside of Qalat City when he was murdered by an unknown shooter. The murderer had used a silenced pistol and had shot Sharafat in the back of the head and neck. Yaqoub was pronounced dead while traveling to a hospital in the Zabul Province. At the time of the shooting, tension from the Taliban militants were extremely high. While no group has claimed responsibility for the shooting, it is assumed that this heinous act was carried out by the Taliban. The Afghan Journalists Center has condemned this shooting, and his death was a cause for government investigations on the frequent deaths of reporters and media workers. Afghan Journalists Center records shows that the attack of Sharafat brought to more than 64 the number of journalists and media workers killed in Afghanistan since falling of the Taliban regime in 2001.

In Qalat, Zabul, ....

Investigation
An investigation to Yaqoub Sharafat's murder has been opened up by the Zabul Police, however, no militant group has claimed responsibility for the murder.

Context
Many assailant groups are present in Zabul and surrounding areas and have targeted reporters for unveiling information on the group and actions they take towards the civilians. Many reporters are considered a threat to the groups and are murdered on site. The Zabul Province is not an uncommon area for assailant groups to attack in. Surrounding areas including Afghanistan and Kabul are just as prominent for reporter murders.

Impact
Yaqoub Sharafat was one of many reporter murders in the Middle-Eastern area who was killed on site. His murder was a stepping stone to many open investigations of many other reporters with similar topics of discussion. Yaqoub Sharafat was a freelance reporter for the Zabultimes when he was shot and killed while with his family, leaving a hospital. The National Unity Government CEO Abdullah Abdullah commented on the murder and had condemned the killing after no militia groups claimed responsibility. Yaqoub and many other journalists were promised an open investigation by the government, however many still remain unsolved.

Reactions
UNESCO

Since the War in Afghanistan began, the murders of many reporters have been on an extreme uprising. Many prominent people, including that of the Chief of Zabul Police Mirwais Noorzai, and the CEO of National Unity Government Abdullah Abdullah have severely condemned the actions of many assailant groups in the area, including that of the Taliban. Afghanistan is notable for its extremely dangerous working conditions and attacks on freelance journalism. Since the murders of journalism and free speech have seen a tremendous uprising, the Afghan Government has been made aware of the continuous murders on Afghan reporters and have promised a government protection plan which became implemented among 34 provinces.

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