Afghanistan Times
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By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Following scores of deadly incidents that took lives of 15 journalists in the country, a report on Saturday released by Media Bazaar said that 2016 was a bloody year for journalists in Afghanistan
“Media Bazaar recorded 15 killing cases of journalists including one foreigner in 2016 in Afghanistan,” said Head of Media Bazaar, Hamed Poya.
Terming 2016 another bloody year for Afghan journalists, he said that media bazaar has documented 500 case of violence against journalists across the country this year.
“81 percent of violence taken place by governmental forces and elements, 14 percent by terrorists, 3 percent by unknown figures and 2 percent by powerful clusters,” he added.
Female journalists were also faced to different violence this year, he stated.
He highlighted that 583 journalist also have escaped from the country to abroad in the past one year.
The year of 2016 was not a good year for journalists since beginning, as seven staffs of Tolo-TV lost their lives in a terrorist incident in Kabul city, he noted.
Although government released different decree to support media and freedom of speech, but unfortunately inverse to the pledges, violent reached at the highest level against journalists and media outlets across the country, he asserted.
Despite several request still 401 serious cases of violence against journalists, which remained from the past years not prosecuted by the governmental organs, he claimed.
Pointing to recent insulting sentences against media outlets by President, Ghani, he said that it is another matter of concern.
If the government not seriously prosecute the cases of violence against journalists as well as not prevent violence against journalist, situation will be worsened more next year, he mentioned.
In the meantime, a number of journalists believe that insecurity, lack of rule of law, impunity culture and mafia are main hurdles for journalists in the country.
