Shah Marai, The Photojournalist the World Lost
We remember AFP's chief photographer in Kabul, Shah MaraiThe formidable photojournalist Shah Marai was tragically killed this week in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was one of 9 journalists who were targeted by the Taliban on the 30th of April.
Marai’s story is one of remarkable resilience. Shah Marai, 42, was from a family that is genetically disposed to blindness. He was one of the sole income earners for his extended family members. He started his career in 1996 at Agence-France Presse as a driver and blossomed into their chief photographer in Afghanistan. He bore witness to the world the fall of the Taliban and their relentless struggle for past two decades. Being a photographer under the Taliban was deadly and he took measures to protect himself. He explained in a 2016 essay, “They hated journalists,so I was always very discreet — I always made sure to put on the traditional shalwar kameez outfit when going outside and I took pictures with a small camera that I hid in a scarf wrapped around my hand.”
After witnessing his country fall further into a hopeless state, Marai maintained his happy disposition and is remembered for his humor. The world lost one of the most devoted photojournalists and today we honor Shah Marai.
Read the full article at: www.bbc.com