Gov’t calls for end to Afghan peace talks ‘censorship’

The Ministry of Information and Culture on Wednesday spoke out against the lack of information coming out of the Doha peace talks and said the Afghan media should also have a place at the talks table.  

Addressing a press conference in Kabul Abdul Manan Shiway-e Sharq, the Deputy Minister of Information and Culture said in order to preserve post-Taliban regime achievements,  representatives of the Afghan media should have an active role in the Afghan Peace Negotiations (APN). 

Sharq also called on government and the Taliban to not censor the process.

Very few details have been revealed in the past 10 days – since the start of the talks – and only occasional snippets of information are released to the media by both sides.

 “According to the Right to Information Act, as the Access to Information and Commission exists, and according to mass media code, censorship is against the law,” Sharq said.

He said government is committed to upholding freedom of speech, “therefore, we demand both the leadership of Afghanistan as well as the negotiators of the Taliban in Doha determine the position of the Afghan media in the peace talks.”

Even living in the age of digital technology, Sharq stated that what happens behind closed doors must not be censored and that Afghan journalists should also be allowed to cover the process.

“Media is considered and regarded as the fourth estate of democracy and democratic society,” he said.

“The Ministry of Information and Culture’s position is that censorship must be put aside, the media should have the right to cover anything that happens during the negotiations and representatives of the Afghan media should have an active presence around the negotiations table so that they preserve their rights.”