JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

Journalism is in crisis worldwide, trust in media is declining and disinformation campaigns have an easy time of it while most platform operators are still not taking responsibility for the spread of fake news and propaganda. According to the latest Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute at the University of Oxford, only 40% of the respondents across all 47 markets say “they trust most news”.[1] And even if many people trust their own fact-checking skills more than journalists, according to studies by Columbia University most people actually find it quite difficult to distinguish between information and disinformation, contrary to their self-assessment.[2] In times of troll armies, disinformation campaigns, and deep fakes, fact checking is becoming more important than ever – especially in countries with authoritarian regimes and restricted press freedom.

One of these countries is Afghanistan. The previously flourishing Afghan media scene collapsed when the Taliban came to power three years ago on August 15, 2021. As a result, numerous journalists had to leave the country and now work from exile. Others have stayed and continue their work despite all dangers. They are the eyes and ears of the exiled media, providing independent information from Afghanistan. How do editorial teams in exile deal with the challenge of accessing sources on the ground without exposing their local informants and colleagues to additional dangers? Under these circumstances, how can they ensure that the facts are really facts? We asked two exiled Afghan journalists how fact-checking from exile can succeed.

Sharif Amiry is a journalist with a degree from the Journalism Faculty of Kabul University. With over a decade of experience in the field, he worked at TOLOnews from 2010 to 2021, where he excelled as a senior reporter and documentary maker. Since 2022 he is a key member of Amu TV, serving as a documentary maker, senior reporter, and head of news gathering.

Nazifa Jalali is a journalist, presenter and the director of Chiragh media in Norway. She has worked for a newspaper and different Afghan radio stations in the southern part of Afghanistan and has organized workshops for female journalists in 24 provinces of Afghanistan, before she fled to Norway and is working there from exile since August 2021.

How has your work changed since August 15th 2021?

Nazifa Jalali (Chiragh Media): Unfortunately, when the Taliban came to power, the southwestern region, which had long been a graveyard for freedom of expression, was once again set up to stifle journalists’ voices. Many of my colleagues and I had to leave Afghanistan because the Taliban confiscated our office equipment, and our colleagues’ lives were in danger. A few months after August 2021, I reconnected with all my colleagues. We found each other and ultimately decided to restart, but differently.

Sharif Amiry (Amu TV): I left Afghanistan in August 2021 and have been living in exile for three years. However, the majority of my colleagues left in 2022 or even 2023. And currently, we are making efforts to create opportunities for journalism in exile and to continue our media activities from here. Working in exile is challenging due to factors like separation from our home country, cultural dislocation, limited resources, and political and social instability.

N.J.: The southwestern region has no audio or visual media, especially for journalists in exile. We committed to ensuring that this region would not become a graveyard for freedom of expression again. We formed our team without any support and began our work with very limited resources and significant psychological pressures. The start of our activities in exile was extremely challenging, both financially and technically, as well as psychologically. However, we had to stand up as the voice of the people to keep freedom of expression alive.

How does working as a journalist in exile differ from working in Afghanistan?

 N.J.: Working as a journalist in exile differs significantly for me compared to working inside Afghanistan. Although we are in a more secure environment, the psychological and financial pressures have a profound impact on our activities. Another difference is that access to credible sources and direct information may be more limited for journalists in exile, leading them to rely more on secondary sources.

S.A.: Working as a journalist in exile offers greater safety and freedom of expression compared to working in Afghanistan, where journalists face severe censorship, threats, and violence, under the Taliban. However, exiled journalists struggle with access to on-the-ground information and may feel professionally isolated, while those in Afghanistan have direct access to events but work under constant security risks and restrictions.

N.J.: I work with a team where each member has ten to fifteen years of experience in the southwestern region of Afghanistan. This has allowed us to maintain our local sources in this region, so obtaining first-hand information is not as challenging for us. Nevertheless we spend more time verifying the information before preparing our reports and programs with full confidence.

Another difference is that each of us is now immersed in very different cultures, not only in our daily and social lives but also in the structure and policies of the media. Although the Chiragh media outlet is registered in Norway and my colleagues are working in the United States, the process of completing these formalities has undoubtedly been difficult and time-consuming. We encounter new challenges almost every day. However, despite all these differences, our resolve has become stronger, and this is the best difference that my colleagues and I have experienced.

What particular challenges do you face when fact-checking information about Afghanistan from exile?

S.A.: Fact-checking information about Afghanistan from exile is challenging due to limited access to firsthand sources, potential risks to contacts on the ground, and the difficulty of verifying reports in a highly censored and unstable environment.

N.J.: In Afghanistan, the security situation is highly sensitive, and any disclosure of information could endanger the lives of our colleagues and sources. Therefore, we need to review information with greater care to ensure both its accuracy and the safety of individuals involved. Also communication and technological limitations can make fact-checking more difficult. Limited access to the internet or unstable communication lines can reduce the speed and efficiency of fact-checking. As a result, the fact-checking process is often more time-consuming and complex than it would be inside the country.

How do you deal with the verification of sources, especially when access to direct information is limited?

S.A.: When direct access is limited, we verify sources by cross-referencing information with multiple credible sources, using trusted contacts on the ground, taking to people, journalists and freelancers.

N.J.: Apart from consulting multiple sources, we analyze the context of the information to identify any potential biases or discrepancies. Understanding the broader situation helps us assess the credibility of the data. In this aspect, our three-member verification committee plays a significant role. They conduct in-depth analyses to identify and verify information, using their experience to either confirm or reject the data.

What role do local networks and contacts play in your work?

S.A.: Contacts in Afghanistan are vital for providing firsthand information, context, and insights that are difficult to obtain from afar. They help verify details, offer on-the-ground perspectives, and connect journalists to additional sources, making them essential for accurate and credible reporting from exile.

N.J.: Local networks help us access first-hand and accurate information from various regions of Afghanistan. They enable us to verify information from multiple local sources and help us to better understand the social, cultural, and political contexts of each region. This understanding assists us in analyzing information correctly, preparing more accurate reports and cover news and events in remote and underreported areas where other media may not have access.

How do you ensure that your sources and informants on the ground are not put at risk?

S.A.: To ensure the safety of our freelancers and sources, we anonymize their identities in reports, and limit the sharing of sensitive information.

N.J.: We use secure and encrypted communication methods to interact with sources. This includes encrypted messaging apps and digital security techniques to protect information. Also we have established detailed security policies for managing information and protecting sources. These policies help prevent sources from being exposed to risk. The security status of sources is regularly reviewed and monitored. This includes assessing changes in the political and social environment to ensure sources are properly protected.If needed, we offer support and immediate assistance to sources and informants to ensure their safety and reduce potential risks.

We need to train sources and informants about potential risks and secure methods for transmitting information. This includes using security technologies and maintaining privacy. We are trying hard to get financial support to implement this training.

What support do you most urgently need to make your fact checking work more effective?

S.A.: To enhance fact-checking effectiveness, urgent support is needed in the form of secure communication tools, access to real-time and reliable data sources, training on digital verification techniques, and additional resources for collaboration with international fact-checking networks and experts.

N.J.: Since 90% of our staff are working in exile across different countries, our first priority is to establish a well-equipped studio and office in one of these countries. This facility would provide the necessary resources for journalists and allow our staff to work efficiently and with peace of mind. Additionally, having a suitable location for training sessions and recording programs would greatly benefit our operations.

Adequate funding for research and data collection, especially in challenging and remote areas, helps us maintain high-quality work. Specialized training and educational programs in fact-checking and information security can improve the skills and effectiveness of our team.
Utilizing modern tools and technologies for more precise analysis and verification of information can enhance our efficiency. Strengthening relationships with international organizations and media can aid in information exchange and improve fact-checking processes. We require access to credible information sources and comprehensive data to verify the accuracy and reliability of information. So we need to support our data verifying committee.

What are your golden rules of fact-checking?

S.A.: Checking details with multiple independent sources and Evaluate Source Credibility.

N.J.: Accuracy and precision. Transparency and Ethical integrity. Protection of sources.

[1] Kleis Nielsen, Rasmus and Richard Fletcher: Public Perspectives on Trust in News. Reuters Institute 2024.

[2] Nelson, Jacob and Neve Sanderson: People trust themselves more than they trust the news. They shouldn’t. Columbia Journalism Review 2024.