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377 violence cases are recorded against journalists in the past 10 months, which is equal to all cases documented in the past eight years: Nai
By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Nai, the supporting open media organization in Afghanistan on Sunday said that violence against journalists has hit a new record in the past ten months , which is equal to the figure of violence taken place in all eight past years across the country.
“377 cases of violence against journalists have been recorded by Nai organization in the past 10 months of 2016, which is equivalent to the violence figure have been taken place in all past eight years across the country,” said Executive Chief of Nai Sediqullah Tawhidi.
He said that annually we have recorded averagely 48 cases of violence against journalists in the past 15 years, but this year violence drastically increased against journalists.
He called on government and international community to take serious measures in order to prevent violence against journalists across the country.
For the first time all journalists and staffs of the media outlets faced threats in four provinces, he added.
According to registered report, 96 journalists and staffs of media in Kunduz, 75 in Helmand, 108 in Farah and 13 in Uruzgan coerced to left their duty,due to threats dominating in the their cities, he claimed.
Pointing to different violence cases including 13 murder cases, Tawhidi said that still no prosecution taken place in this regard to be acceptable and accordance to expectation.
Despite of acceptance of journalists’ regulation by National Security Council and establishing of coordination committee between journalists and government, we were not witness for decreasing of violence against journalists, he noted.
He said that although president recently released a decree regarding access of journalists to information, but we were not witness for positive changes yet.
Situation got worse day by day for journalists this year, he asserted.
Hinting to killing of a journalists in Zabul provinces recently, he said that despite repeatedly request regarding prosecution, unfortunately still no steps have been hold to bring perpetrators before justice.
Terrorist groups, governmental officials particularly provincial officials, private sectors including protestors were the main factors behind violence against journalists throughout the country, he underlined.
Journalist from Zabul province Ahmad Wali Sarhadi expressed grievance from rump up violence against journalists in Zabul province.
“Unveil challenges in the governmental organs in the province by journalists are main reason behind violence against reporter in the province,” he added.
Since eight months, while new governor assigned to the province, violence increased against journalists in Zabul, he claimed.
Journalists not afraid of Taliban and other terrorist groups, but from governmental officials in Zabul province, he mentioned.
