Statement No: 172
Today (November 2, 2016) is the international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists.
The United Nation has recognized this day as the “International day to end impunity for crimes against journalists” and it is observed in different parts of the world annually.
Afghanistan is one of those countries where the crimes against journalists are not prosecuted.
During the last 15 years, around 800 cases of violence against journalists including 60 cases of murder and terror of journalists has taken place; however most of them have not been prosecuted.
Afghanistan’s National Journalists Union, while believes that the increase of violence against journalists and media has negatively affected the media activities in the country, calls upon the Afghan government to take the issue of violence against journalists seriously.
We welcome the newly devised guidelines to enhance security and safety of media and journalists which was prepared by ‘Journalists and Media Federation’ in cooperation with the government, based on which ‘Joint Coordination Committee of Media and the Government’ was hold.
We expect the committee –as specified by the guidelines- to take urgent and serious measures to resolve the cases of violence against journalists and prosecute its perpetrators one by one.
ANJU believes that the prosecution of crimes against journalists will positively change the current climate of mistrust between the government and media, and it will help the media to comfortably function as the ‘Fourth estate’ of the newly founded democracy in order to bring about positive changes in the country.
The Executive Council of the Afghanistan’s National Journalists Union
