Connect with us

Latest News

Watchdog raises concern over attacks plaguing media industry

Published

on

(Last Updated On: December 28, 2020)
Afghanistan’s media workers have warned if government does not step up efforts to preserve freedom of expression and safeguard their lives they might end up being forced to flee the country. 
 
This comes after a string of attacks left five media workers dead in two months – amid a marked increase in targeted killings and attempted assassinations.  
 
At a meeting on Saturday, Afghan media workers said the escalation of targeted attacks against journalists and media workers has also led to self-censorship. 
 
In a statement issued by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), the organization stated that the Afghan government and Taliban urgently need to consider and respond to the demands of the Afghan media for support, safety, protection, timely investigations and access to information.
 
The AIHRC said targeted killings of journalists in the past few months have had a negative impact on media across the country and that many female journalists from the provinces have left their jobs. 
 
“It is very difficult for journalists to have access to the districts, even those near the provincial centers. They cannot easily move around the city. When those working in media including journalists are threatened, they refer to government security agencies, but, according to journalists, their concerns and demands are not given sufficient attention by the security institutions,” the statement read.
 
At Saturday’s meeting, over 100 journalists and representatives of media support organizations shared their concerns and challenges with Shaharzad Akbar, the AIHRC’s Chairperson and the commission’s leadership.
 
AIHRC said: “There has been a lot of psychological pressure on those working in media in Afghanistan in recent months due to the environment of fear and intimidation created by the targeted attacks. 
 
“The media community are worried about more restrictions that could affect their work and their lives. 
 
“The government of Afghanistan has not shared sufficient information on preventing the targeted killings of journalists and prosecuting the perpetrators.”
 
This also comes just weeks after government announced it had dismantled the spokesperson position for provincial governor offices.
 
Since the decision came into effect, on December 2, the governors themselves are responsible for giving information to the media. 
 
“Dismantling this position has caused concern about disruption in the free circulation of information in the country. Most journalists complain about lack of access to information and data at the provincial level. 
 
“To this end, the media call on the government to ensure freedom of expression and respect people’s right to access information by revising the decision about dismantling the spokesperson position in the provincial governors’ offices,” the statement read.
 
Journalists at the meeting also called for a number of other measures to be considered. 
 
They asked for the international community to pressure the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire and end the violence and targeted killings; that the Afghan government must prevent targeted attacks, ensure security of journalists, and investigate cases of murder, threat, intimidation and violations against journalists. And also identify and prosecute the perpetrators and share the results with the people and families of the victims.
 
The journalists stated that the Taliban cannot abdicate responsibility for the attacks by mere denials and said if the Taliban is not involved, they must share their information and findings with the public. 
 
Some journalists expressed their concern over hate-inducing, violent language and narratives by local Taliban-affiliated media regarding independent journalists and free press and said this language and narrative has the potential to be normalized and could end up spreading violence against independent media.
 
The AIHRC meanwhile expressed its concern about the threats and limitations facing the media and journalists and called on the international community, Afghan government and Taliban to urgently consider the situation. 
 
Freedom of expression and the growth of the media sector is one of Afghanistan’s most significant achievements over the past twenty years and the media in Afghanistan has played an important role in ensuring citizens’ access to information, holding the government accountable, and promoting democratic institutions despite the difficult security situation. 

Latest News

Kabul police summons Afghan YouTuber Hamayon

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

Afghanistan’s YouTuber Hamayon Afghan was summoned to the police station for publishing a woman’s interview without her permission, Kabul police said.

The spokesman of Kabul Police Khalid Zadran said Friday on X that Hamayon interviewed an old woman and published the report without her permission.

“After the interview, the interviewee’s family complained to the police and the police summoned Hamayon Afghan to the police station,” said Zadran.

Zadran stated that police are working to solve the problem with the two sides’ agreement as soon as possible.

He urges people to avoid posting rumors on the issue.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Contract worth $53 million signed for construction of last section of Khaf–Herat railway

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

A contract worth $53 million was signed Thursday for the construction of the last section of Khaf-Herat railway that connects Afghanistan with Iran.

The contract was signed between Afghanistan Railway Authority and Gamma Group in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, his office said in a statement.

The segment is 47-kilometer long, stretching from Rabat Parian to Herat International Airport and the Industrial Town, according to the statement.

It added that completion and standard operational readiness are expected within approximately two years.

“Upon its completion, this segment will integrate the Khaf-Herat regional connectivity project with Iran’s significant seaports and facilitate access to Europe via the Turkish railway network,” the statement said.

“Furthermore, traversing Afghan territory, it will bolster commercial exchanges between Central and South Asia. Notably, this project’s realization will enable the expansion of railway networks into Farah, Nimruz, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces,” it added.

Gamma operates across Europe and Asia in multiple sectors including construction, renewable energy, power transmission, mining, railways among others.

Continue Reading

Latest News

US urges IEA to fulfill counter-terrorism commitments

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

The US State Department said on Thursday that Washington is committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism.

“We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism, and we continue to push the Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) to fulfill all of their counterterrorism commitments to the international community,” the department’s spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a news briefing in Washington.

He reiterated that the United States had clearly communicated to the IEA that it’s their responsibility to ensure that “they give no safe haven to terrorists, whether it be Al Qaeda or ISIS-K or any other terrorist organization”.

Miller also reassured US allies that Washington was closely watching the developments in Afghanistan and was ready to deal with any threat emerging from the region.

“We remain vigilant against the evolving threat of these terrorist groups, and our global coalition to defeat ISIS and the C5+1 help intensify our efforts to monitor terrorist threats from the region and prevent their ability to raise funds, travel, and spread propaganda,” he said.

C5+1 refers to a diplomatic platform involving the five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgy­zstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the United States. It serves as a forum for discussing and addressing regional issues such as security, economic development, and cooperation.

“The United States remains vigilant against the evolving threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIS-K, and has maintained an unwavering focus on terrorism since President Joe Biden took office three years ago,” Miller said.

The US, he said, was “working both unilaterally and with its partners to successfully disrupt threats across the globe and degrade ISIS”.

“We will continue to work to hold ISIS accountable for its actions and to prevent terrorist attacks against the United States and other Western countries,” Miller said.

This comes as IEA has repeatedly said that it is committed to not allowing anyone to use Afghanistan soil against any other country.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 Ariana News. All rights reserved!