The seventh meeting of joint committee of media and the government, chaired by Muhammad Sarwar Danish the second VP, was held yesterday with the participation of related government officials and representatives of the federation of journalist organizations and Afghan media.
In the meeting the officials of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, Attorney General, National Directorate of Security, and the Independent Directorate of local Governance reported on their activities regarding the prosecution of violence cases against journalists and media workers.
The representatives of the federation confirming the major parts of the reports, noted the ambiguous points or those parts which was reported incorrectly.
It was decided in the meeting that the representatives of federation along with the officials from the ministry of interior affairs and Attorney General, hold a meeting to resolve the shortcomings in the prosecution of violence and threat cases against journalists and media workers.
In yesterday’s meeting of the joint committee, the guidelines for the establishment and function of journalists financial support fund was ratified. This guideline was prepared by the federation of journalist organizations and media.
President Ghani in a meeting with the federation representatives and in response to the federation’s proposition for financial support to those journalists who are wounded or killed in the line of duty or have serious illness, had demanded the establishment of journalist support fund and also he had promised he will personally seek for internal and external financial support once such a fund was established.
After the ratification of the aforementioned guidelines in yesterday’s meeting, it was decided that another meeting with the president should be provided in order to begin the practical fund raising.
The administration of the fund is vested in the representatives of media unions, and the joint committee of media and the government would monitor the activities of the fund.
In the very meeting, the issue of amending the regulations for establishing private media was also discussed.
This regulation was enforced roughly two years ago, and hence many media complained that the amount of fee for the license and bank guarantees fixed by the regulation was not realistic and the media are not able to pay it.
Last year, the proposition to amend the regulation was prepared by the federation and was ratified by the law committee of the government. However, it was not confirmed by the cabinet later.
It was decided in yesterday’s meeting that the officials from the ministries of information and culture, and justice along federation representatives shall once again revise the proposed amendments and send it to cabinet for ratification.
Furthermore the issue of tax rebates of some media and tax exemption of the press was also discussed in yesterday’s meeting. The ministry of information and culture and federation representatives were tasked with providing specific propositions on media tax rebates or tax exemptions of the press for the cabinet.
The proposition of using safe houses for journalists and media workers which was prepared by federation was discussed in yesterday’s meeting. The proposition was generally accepted by the joint committee of media and the government, and it was decided that the independent directorate of local governance in cooperation with the federation bring about the necessary changes in aforementioned proposition and prepare the executive proposal of the proposition for the related authorities.
It was decided that in the next meeting of the joint committee’s meeting, those institutions which have been given specific tasks should report on their achievements.
The joint committee meetings are held on monthly bases.
