NAI calls on NUG to fulfill their commitments on “Freedom of Speech”

NAI, an organization that supports open media in Afghanistan calls on Afghan judiciary system to reconsider over the verdict being issued for Najibullah Musafar, an Afghan photojournalist imprisoned illegally.

Sediqullah Tawhidi the head of NAI media watch said,” Tens of smugglers and kidnappers are walking out freely, but a photographer is inmate with offenders in Pul-e-Charkhi prison for a crime he has not committed, we ask the government to fulfill their commitments they have made on freedom of speech and ask the system to reconsider the unfair judgment”.

Najibullah Musafer was sentenced to six months of imprisonment in a court in Kabul.

His case falls eight years back when he took pictures of the female basketball players in Kabul’s Ghazi Stadium for his news coverage, then he sells the photo to a private movie production under the name of the 7^th Art, but the pictures were later used by Etisalat Telecommunication Company for advertisement.

The girl who appears in the picture opens a case in a court and the court fines Musafer with 10,000 Afghani.

A legislative law of Afghanistan on copy right says,” The creator shall be able to benefit financially on his art or dedicate it to someone other than himself”.

Masoud Hussaini who is a photographer said,” Musafer is among those who have brought photography training courses to Afghanistan, why he should be arrested for a crime he is not committed?”

NAI criticize the government on journalist’s safety and says that eight journalists were killed in 2014, but the cases are still pending with legislative system.

Reported by: Farahnaz Frotan