United States Agency for Global Media

VOA reporter named 2021 Journalist of the Year by Afghan Press Freedom Organization

March 16, 2021

An Afghan father remembers one of his three sons killed in the country’s war, seen here in the award-winning TV report by VOA Afghan Service journalist Zabihullah Ghazi.

Washington, D.C. — The Afghanistan Journalists Center selected VOA journalist, Zabihullah Ghazi, for its Journalist of the Year award. Ghazi produces television, radio and web content in Pashto for the VOA Afghan language service which covers eastern Afghanistan.

The center’s awards jury congratulated Ghazi on his large portfolio of original and memorable reporting. Judges made particular note of an October 2020 TV story, about a father with three sons killed while serving in the Afghan security force and a fourth who remains missing in action. Ghazi’s report aired on VOA’s program, TV Ashna, via TOLO-TV, TOLO News and Lemar TV.

“Ghazi is an intrepid and skillful journalist who produces powerful stories that resonate with his audience,” said VOA Afghan Service Chief John Walker. “He works in a challenging – and often dangerous – security environment that poses significant threats to the media. He is one of the bravest journalists I know.”

“I congratulate Ghazi and the VOA Afghan Service for this tremendous honor,” said Yolanda López, Acting VOA Director. “Covering victims of conflict and reporting original stories in a war zone is dangerous and difficult work, but often goes unnoticed.”

The AFJC, an independent and nongovernmental organization dedicated to the safety of journalists in Afghanistan, presents its awards at a March 17, 2021 ceremony.

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