Statement No: 211
After being assigned as the acting-minister of interior, Amrullah Saleh issued instructions forbidding police personnel to publish and disseminate certain facts and information.
These instructions in some points contradicts the law on access to information and in spite of some concerns raised by a number of journalists and media support organizations, the ministry of interior did not address these concerns.
In recent days there have been constant and extensive complains from different provinces especially Takhar, Badakhshan, Jozjan, Helmand, Herat, Ghor, and other about police officials not responding to the questions posed to them by journalists and media.
Journalists and media workers in these provinces complain that not a single official in police department is willing to provide them with information. They assert that even about those reports favoring police and which highlights their achievements, police authorities and officers refrain to speak with media.
Afghanistan’s National Journalists Union (ANJU), once again expresses its utmost concern regarding this approach of the ministry of interior and states that no individual or institution has the authority to limit the access to information which has been defined by law.
This concern was also raised with the second VP in joint committee of government and media and the deputy minister of interior in response to these concerns said that the recent instructions of the ministry of interior is not meant to limit the access to information.
However, considering the grievances from the provinces, these instructions regardless of the intentions of the ministry of interior has already limited the access to information practically.
ANJU while emphasizes on the legal framework which guarantees the freedom of speech and access to information, asks the ministry of interior to seriously and promptly address this situation and pave the way for the flow of information once again.
The Executive Council of Afghanistan’s National Journalists Union (ANJU)
