Sayed Hamid Noori Dead: Well-Known Afghan Journalist Murdered

KABUL, Afghanistan — Police are investigating the murder of a well known Afghan journalist who was found outside his Kabul home this weekend covered in stab wounds.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a statement ordering authorities to spare no effort in bringing Sayed Hamid Noori's killers to justice. Noori had once been an anchor for state television and a newspaper editor. More recently, he held a leadership position in Afghanistan's Association of Independent Journalists and teacher of young journalists.

Reporters in Afghanistan face pressure from the government, local politicians and Taliban insurgents, all of whom look askance at negative reporting. At least 20 Afghan journalists have been killed and 200 physically assaulted in the past decade, with scores more leaving the profession or fleeing the country amid threats to their safety.

It wasn't clear whether Noori's killing was linked to his professional life.

Abdul Hameed Mubarez, head of the journalist's association of which Noori was vice president, said Noori had left his home at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday after receiving a series of phone calls, suggesting that he either knew his assailants or had been set up. He said Noori's body was found a few feet (meters) away, covered in stab wounds.

"So far nobody knows who is behind this," Mubarez said.

Comments

[martintillier]

02:26 PM on 09/10/2010

The Centre to Support Journalists said on its website that Sayed had been beheaded and stabbed repeatedly, In late 2004 Sayed had temporarily left his job a ART and became a spokesman for Mohammad Younus Qanooni Afghanistans Parliament Speaker who contested the the last Presidential elections won by Hamid Karzai. Sidiqullah Tawhidi a member of NAI another media support group said 252 acts of violence against journalists including beating, kidnap, murder and other threats had been recorded by his group,27 had been killed, 12 of them foreigners, since 2001's action against the Taliban, who, amongst other insurgent groups he blamed for the majority of the attacks.

[martintillier]

01:57 PM on 09/10/2010

Sayed Hamid Noorei worked for the state network, Radio Television Afghanistan and was active in the National Union of Afghan Journalists. In 2004 he worked as a spokesman for an opponent of Afghan President Hamid Karzai,and remained allied with poitical opposition groups.

[nofriendofrepublicans]

05:43 PM on 09/07/2010

How's that democracy thing going?

[mamababa]

10:30 AM on 09/07/2010

Real journalists get k!lled, while fake journalists get promoted to host Meet the Press - a lesson indeed.

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

12:05 PM on 09/07/2010

Unfortunately this is all too often true. I don't even think they should be called fake journalists. They are talking heads or news readers. They walk around with retinues like royalty. Real journalists get out ; ask questions and generally don't draw attention to themselves as it interferes with their access to the story.

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

03:04 AM on 09/08/2010

"Talking Heads"
hufffpo's best headline.