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Afghan government drops controversial media law amendment
Proposed amendments to the media law, which were introduced to parliament last month, have been recalled by President Ashraf Ghani.
This move comes after media outlets objected to the proposed changes which would have required journalists to disclose their sources and allow the government to censor news reports.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) on Sunday welcomed the president’s move to drop the proposed amendment, which they said would have had a negative effect on media freedom in the country.
This move by the president comes after an outcry by media support organizations, media outlets, and journalists last month. Together they sent an open letter to the government calling for the amendments to be dropped.
Among the proposed amendments was a measure that would require journalists to reveal their sources to government bodies, including the security services.
Also, the rights of media outlets and journalists would have been affected, as would the independence of National Radio and Television (RTA). The government would also have been able to censor stories before and after publication and government monitoring organizations would have been given increased authority.
The proposed amendments would also have allowed for media outlets to have their licenses revoked in the absence of transparency regarding financial resources.
However, a major outcry by the media in Afghanistan was unleashed last month when the proposed amendments were tabled to parliament.
In the wake of this, the government established a 12-member technical team to review the amendment initiative. After several meetings, the team voted against the amendments.
“We welcome the technical committee’s decision to vote against the amendment and the government’s commitment that the initiative will not go ahead,” AFJC director Ahmad Quraishi said.
“At a time when the government is preparing for the peace talks with the hardline Taliban group, any amendment to the media law would have had serious consequences for media freedom in Afghanistan, adding to the growing insecurity and attacks that affect media outlets and journalists in the country,” he said.
The current media law was enacted in 2006 and has 54 articles. The proposed amendments were in contravention of articles 7, 34, 120, and 122 of Afghanistan’s Constitution.
Article 34 of the Constitution says: “Freedom of expression shall be inviolable. Every Afghan shall have the right to express thoughts through speech, writing, illustrations as well as other means in accordance with provisions of this constitution.”
It also stipulates that “every Afghan shall have the right, according to provisions of law, to print and publish on subjects without prior submission to state authorities. Directives related to the press, radio, and television as well as publications and other mass media shall be regulated by law.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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