Taliban might kill us, Afghan BBC journalists beg UK court for relocation

Vanguard

They further said that they risk “being killed by the Taliban” having worked in “high-profile roles for the BBC and other media agencies.”

According to Evening Standard, the journalists worked with the United States-aided Afghanistan government and British troops to reveal Taliban corruption before it captured Kabul in August last year.

They claimed there was an initial agreement to relocate to the UK but their applications were declined, forcing them to take legal action against Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

Adam Straw KC, the leading lawyer representing them said, “As a result of their work in support of His Majesty (HM) Government, the claimants and their families are at high risk of being killed by the Taliban.”

Straw said his clients worked closely alongside British troops offering information to the British mission as they played crucial roles in the development of independent media and democratic process.

“The claimants are Afghan nationals who worked in high-profile roles for the BBC and other media agencies in Afghanistan,” Straw added.

“They worked alongside HM Government, including alongside British troops and for organisations funded by HM Government.

“Their work closely supported HM Government’s objectives in Afghanistan; for example, by providing it with information, developing popular support for the British mission, undermining support for the Taliban, and playing an important role in the development of a free media and accountable democracy.”

He added, “As a result of their work in support of HM Government, the claimants and their families are at high risk of being killed by the Taliban.”