The Afghan Journalist Safety Committee published its six months’ report related to the situation of journalist and media workers, the status of freedom of speech and media and also suggestions of the media society in the country for improvement of journalists working conditions and freedom of speech.
In this report, specific issues such as the conditions of journalist in the first six months of the year 2020, status of access to information during COVID19 crisis, freedom of speech and peace negotiations, creation of a road-map by the committee to protect the media and freedom of speech and the problem on the new draft of law for media, have been discussed.
Najib Sharifi, Executive Director of Afghan Journalist Safety Committee said during the press conference that was held on the launch of the report that during first six months of 2020, the committee has registered 42 cases of violence against journalist which is not that much different in number than the last year because in the first six months of 2019 the committee had registered 45 cases. In all cases of violence and threats against journalist, 2 cases of murder, 11 cases of injury, 6 cases of assault, 9 cases of insulting and humiliation, 7 cases of threats, 4 cases of abduction, 2 cases of armed robbery and 1 case of illegal conduct (non-payment of monthly salary) are included.
According to Sharifi, among the perpetrators of these violence, the Taliban and Daesh by being responsible in 18 cases of violence and threats against journalist are the committers for the most of violence against the journalists. It worth mentioning that from severity of violence and criminal behavior perspective, the violence committed by Taliban and Daesh against the journalist are much sever and heavier than the government agents because these groups are accused to murder, abduction and wounding of journalists. The government agents are second in row and are responsible for 13 cases of violence against the journalists. Other cases include, 3 cases of illegal armed forces, 2 cases of armed robbery, 5 cases of threats by unknown people and 1 case by media company owner.
The committee findings show that lack of access to information, broad threats against journalist and media are still, the seriously remaining challenges and yet there has been no serious arrangement made by the government. In the first six months, tens of journalists have faced different violence’s.
Peace talks and concerns of media society from limiting the freedom of speech and media are among other troubles that the media society were faced in the first six months of 2020. Lack of serious attention from the government to protect freedom of media and opposition of the Taliban group with this accomplished value has caused the level of confidence to be low on the future of freedom of media.
The draft of changing the media law by the government has caused serious fear pertaining to freedom of speech that fortunately after continuous advocacies by Afghan Journalist Safety Committee, Journalist Federation and other media entities in Afghanistan, social and civil society organizations, this draft was taken back by government and it was sent to the vice president office for further review and consultation with journalist and media supporting entities that finally a committee of 12 members from journalism societies and government officials was formed to make decision on this draft. The mentioned committee has concluded that the mentioned drafts should be stopped for the current time.
The committee had also specific suggestions on the above issues and requested the government of Afghanistan to pay serious attention about the mentioned issues and suggestions of the media society in the country.
