DHRC Journalist-in-residence
Jawad Sukhanyar
2021-22 Donia Human Rights Center Journalist-in-residence
This academic year, as Journalist-in-residence, Jawad will work on his project, “Post-US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Afghan peace process and fate of press freedom," where he will look into what went wrong with the US mission in Afghanistan that ended in chaos and humiliation. His main focus will be to examine the outcomes of the withdrawal and whether it could have been done differently. Also, he will touch upon the Afghan peace process which led to a dead-end after the Taliban took over the country and formed their interim government.
The consequences of US departure have been dire, and have already resulted in the mass starvation of millions of Afghans inside the country, women being denied their rights to education, and the freedom of press crumbling.
As a journalist, Jawad reported the Afghan story for many years. While at the University of Michigan, he will participate in panel discussions, and offer talks and potential lectures on his area of expertise.
Jawad worked as a journalist for major news agencies in Afghanistan, where he reported for The New York Times for 8 years. He was also a freelance journalist and wrote analytical pieces for various outlets including the Eurasia Review. In early 2020 he served as a media adviser in the office of the first vice president of Afghanistan.
