Aziz-u-rahman Sakhee Zada was charged and detained by Attorney General for his article published by Mandegar Daily on 28.5.2013. The article had criticized unlawful activities and corruption in Anti-Bribery and Corruption Body.
Mr. Sakhee Zada’s family and Mandegar Newspaper officials says that he was invited to Investigation Office of Attorney General for investigations yesterday and then he was arrested.
According to the Mandegar Newspaper officials, before Mr. Sakhee Zada’s arrestment, prosecutors contacted the Mandegar Newspaper Office and requested contact numbers of him.
By considering the articles number 42 and 43 of Mass Media Law, whenever an actual or legal person has complaints on contents of a media outlet, before the grievances are followed by Judicial authorities, Mass Media Commission should evaluate the claims, and if there are any criminal aspects in the case then it should be referred to the Judicial authorities .
Mandegar newspaper officials and Mr. Sakhee Zada’s family add that the complaints of Mr. Azizullah Ludin, Head of Anti-Bribery and Corruption Body, was directly considered by the Attorney General instead of complying to Mass Media Commission.
Reporters’ support institutions and journalists unions officials say that such a reaction to these kinds of cases are completely illegal.
Sediqullah Tawhidi the head of Media watch Says: “every kind of complaints regarding contents of Media, at first, should be pursued according to the Mass Media Law. Because it is the only law which indicates the framework of media activities in the country.”
Afghanistan's National Journalists Union (ANJU) in reaction to the detention of Mr. Sakhee Zada declared that the only way for solving these kind of cases is to comply with the law, especially with the Mass Media Law.
Mr. M. Faheem Dashty Executive Director of ANJU says: “with close cooperation of Media Watch we are trying to convince the Attorney General and achieve the goal of releasing Mr. Sakhee Zada.”
Mr. Dashty adds: “everyone has the right to defend whenever there is allegations. The Head of Anti-Bribery and Corruption Body also has that right; but only in accordance to the dominant laws in the country.”
