Zakia Zaki

Zakia Zaki (c. 1972 – June 4, 2007) was an Afghan journalist for the Afghan Radio Peace (Sada-i-Sulh) station north of Kabul, Afghanistan. She had been given threats on account of her work and was killed at her home outside of Kabul in April 2007. Zaki was the first Afghani journalist to speak out against the Taliban after the US forces initiated the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), while she also championed other causes like gender equality and women's rights in Afghanistan. Her murder was seen as part of a series of recent attacks against high-profile Afghan women. She and her husband Abdul Ahad Ranjabr had six children—four sons and two daughters—and two of her children were present at the time of her murder. The family resided about 40 miles north of Kabul in Parwan.

Career Zaki was founder and an active journalist at the Afghan Peace Radio (Sada-i-Sulh) in Jabal Saraj, Jabal Saraj District, Parwan, Afghanistan. The station was U.S. funded and often spoke out on controversial issues such as women rights and the Taliban insurgency. The United States secretly funded 6 hours of the station's broadcasting every day. France paid for the first year of production and 15 days of radio training for Zaki. Local warlords and conservatives wanted to shut down the radio station, and Zaki received deaths threats in the days leading up to her assassination. Aside from being a journalist, Zaki was also a school teacher and ran for parliament in 2005.

Death Zaki was killed in her home outside of Kabul in April 2007. Before her murder, Zakia Zaki had received threats to shut down her radio station and on her life. Two of her six children were in the room but left unharmed. Zaki's 8-month-old son was in bed with her. It was her 7 or 8-year-old son who called her husband and informed him of Zaki's death.

Two relatives were accused by Zaki's father. The two men were detained but never charged with the crime. Two more men thought to be part of the group Hezbi Islami (which is also referred to as the Hezb-e Islami) and were detained but not charged. The actual three gun men involved in Zaki's murder were never identified.

Her murder was deemed a "terrorist attack" by the Afghanistan prime minister. Abdul Manan Farahi, director of Anti-Terrorism Operations in Afghanistan, said, the suspects arrested in the Zaki case are believed to be linked to the Hezb-e Islami.

Impact Many officials believed that female journalists were being targeted so the guerrilla groups in the area could gain media attention and convey their threats to the public.

Her killing was condemned by U.S. First Lady Laura Bush.

A statement from Reporters Without Borders said, "Whether this savage act was linked to her work as a journalist or her civic responsibilities, it is vital that those who are responsible for this murder should be quickly identified and punished."