Nai, Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan says that, compared to the six first months of 2018, violence against the journalists has fallen by 50% in the country.
Speaking in a news conference in Kabul on Monday, Abdul Mujeeb Khalwatgar, Executive Director of Nai, in first six months of 2019, 35 cases of violence against journalists and media were recorded by Nai which includes 5 cases of murder, 6 injures, 17 cases of threats and insults, 3 cases of attacks on media, 3 cases of beating, and 1 case of IED explosion.
He added that: “in comparison with the first six months of 2018, we have witnessed 50.1% decline of violence. In the first six months of the last year, 71 cases of violence have been registered and this figure reduced to 35 cases this year and murder cases decreased 61% compared to last year. In the first six months of 2018, 13 cases of murder were recorded, and in first six months of 2019, 5 cases of murder were registered. Journalist injuries have decreased by 51% compare to last year.”
Nai added that based on the registered documents in this office, assault cases of reporters declined 84% as compared to last year. In the first six months of last year, 19 assault cases of journalist were reported and only 3 cases were registered in the first 6 months of current year.
Threats and insult of Journalists decreased by 16%, in the first six months of last year, 16 cases of insult and threats were reported which decreased 17% than first six months of this year, as per this report.
Nai added that 35 cases of violence have been recorded in the first six months of 2019, which declined 46% compared to last year.
Khalwatgar attributed the reasons of decline of violence against journalists to decrease of suicide and explosive attacks and also careful work of the media. He added that, in many cases, the media do not send the journalists for live coverage of suicide attacks and explosions.
“Still when journalists are threatened or have no access to information, means that the government has done nothing in this regard. If we witness the decrease of violence against journalists is based on reasons that the government has no role in that,” he said. He added that, if in some cases we witnessed an increase of the violence, it was directly related to government. “
