Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), Nai Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan (SOMA), Afghanistan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC), and other local media outlets expressed their concerns in Kandahar through press conference organized yesterday. They expressed their concerns over barriers of challenges Journalists face while ensuring their basic right of access to information.
SOMA mentioned the sacrifices and casualties of Afghan Journalists during last year, through which media outlets and Journalists faced 180 attacks. Among these, 20 Journalists were killed and 12 major media outlets were attacked, institutionally. Despite such sacrifices, most of the government spokespersons avoid interviewing with the Journalists. Thus, It caused a severe lack of information with the media, and consequently with the public.
Meanwhile, in a huge conference organized three days earlier, the main problems and barriers were mentioned which challenges the work of Journalists in the country. These barriers included but not limited to;
•Lack of access to information,
•Unfair division and classification of information,
•Insecure environment,
•Lack of assistance to the families of martyred Journalists, and
•Lack of providing proper assistance to the injured Journalists.
The resolution was reached H.E. the President, where he instructed the government agencies, orally, to overcome such challenges and treat media fairly.
The newly appointed minister of interior, and defense, ordered their subordinates not to share a single piece of information with the media outlets. A procedures that is clearly against the constitution, and the law of access to information.
