In the last two days at least two well-known journalists have been threatened.
In one case, Mrs. FarzanaWahidi a renowned Afghan photographer and film-maker, is threatened due to making a documentary about women's activities in Badakhshan.
Mrs. Wahidi has produced a short documentary about a welfare organization which works for women capacity building. And she has been threatened by unknown people who introduced themselves as officials of local government in Badakhshan.
In another case, Mr. HamedUbaydi the Editor in Chief of Jawanan-e- Faal Weekly and Instructor of Journalism in Kabul University has been threatened due to releasing a report.
According to Mr. Ubaydi, an unknown person who introduced himself as a relative of an MP, had threatened him by a phone call and told him to watch his steps otherwise they will close his publication.
Mr. Ubaydi was apparently threatened for a report about a public car parking which was recently opened in Shahr-e- Naw, Kabul.
Journalist advocacy organizations say if such threats are not prevented the process of access to information will face serious problems in the country.
Head of Media Watch Mr. SediqullahTawhidi said: “It is the responsibility of security establishments to provide a complete security for all citizens and especially the journalists”
Afghanistan National Journalists’ Union (ANJU) has also declared that it’s in close contact with security establishments in this regard and considers the threats to journalists as great concern.
Mr. M. FahimDashty CE of ANJU has also said: “the government, especially the Information and Culture and the Interior Affairs Ministries’ weakness in supporting the journalists and media has given the courage to some people to intimidate the journalists now.”
Mr. Dashty asks the officials of both Ministries to take care of such cases so that the journalists could work in a peaceful environment and the wrongdoers be prosecuted.
