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On September the 9th, an professional, committed and recognized journalist of Afghanisatn, Mr. Sultan Mohammad Munadi, was killed during an operation conducted for saving Irish correspondent of New York Times Stephen Ferrell by British Military in Mosakhail village of Chardara district of Kunduz province. Sultan Munadi and Stephen Ferrell had been kidnapped by armed Taliban four days before the incident.

Sultan Munadi was cruelly murdered while Stephen Ferrell survived and was saved without suffering any harm. Sultan's body was still lying on the ground when the news of his martyrdom was being made public.

Afghan media, journalists associations and civil society express their utmost distress at the death of Sultan Munadi and convey their condolences to the grieving bereaved family, the Afghan media and all Afghanistan citizens.

The Media, Journalists Unions, Civil and Human Rights Organisations of Afghanistan (hereafter referred to as WE) strongly condemn the cowardly and abhorrent act of murdering Mr. Munadi and state the following:

•  WE urgently demand from the President of the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) to conduct serious and thorough investigations to identify the perpetrators of this inhuman act. The investigations must cover all circumstances including the role of internal and international organisations in the committed murder, particularly the role of British Forces conducting the rescue operation, and it must ensure that investigations lead to bringing the perpetrators of the crime to justice.

•  We demand from the Foreign Ministry of GoIRA to take serious actions through diplomatic means, based on principles of international relations with regard to saving the rights of its citizens. Amongst other measures, the Afghan Foreign Ministry must summon the diplomatic missions of countries whose forces through a military operation have caused the death of Sultan Munadi, and thereby convey the official demand of Afghan government with regard to an explanation on the incident and further investigations and follow-ups on the tragedy.

•  The international principles in times of war and conflicts based on four Geneva Conventions of 1949 commit the States to rehabilitating the victims of war. WE demand from the GoIRA and the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan to provide the necessary ground for rehabilitating Sultan's family through compensations and other necessary measures through national and international norms and channels.

•  WE strongly demand that the GoIRA, NATO, ISAF and United Nations address all demands put forward in this statement with regard to investigating and following up on the ruthless murder of Sultan Munadi and to brief media on the outcomes.

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•  WE strongly demand from international military forces, ISAF, and NATO to avoid killing civilian citizens and journalists based on principles of International Human Rights, International Humanitarian Laws, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

•  WE call once again on all parties to the Afghan conflict not to turn innocent civilians or journalists being the professional reporters of events into the victims of their political deals and agendas.

•  WE demand from national and international military forces to bring about more constructive and useful coordination in military operations in a bid to avoid civilian casualties.

•  WE expressly demand from the Afghan President and the GoIRA to devise and implement a constructive strategy in order to bring more personal and social security to journalists.

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Through this Statement and the Press Conference of Media, Unions, and Civil Society, WE declare that we will be conducting follow-up programs and taking further measures to achieve the results set forth in this statement with regard to the fate of our martyred journalist, Sultan Munadi. In case our demands are not met, WE would take further stronger measures through civil means, we will refer and resort to international human rights bodies as well as to provisions of international humanitarian laws and international tribunals.

Please refer to the names of hundreds of media outlets, journalists associations, civil society organisations and Afghan journalists who have signed under this statement.