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KABUL (SW): The annual report of NAI-Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan showed that 2017 has been a bloody year for journalists and media staff in Afghanistan.
Mujeeb Khalwatgar, Executive Director of NAI said that in 2017, 141 cases of violence against journalists had been registered which unfortunately included 14 cases of murder of media workers and journalists, 23 cases of injury, 21 cases of assault, as well as 69 cases of threats and humiliations and 14 cases of arrest and stopping freedom of speech.
The Executive Director of NAI said that government was involved in 62 cases of violence against journalists, owners of media outlets were involved in 11 cases, and unidentified armed men were involved in 26 cases of violence, and similarly, Taliban and ISIS were involved in 42 cases of violence against journalists and media workers.
According to Mr. Khalwatgar, in 2017, only 43 cases of violence against journalists have been pursued.
A number of journalists, while criticizing the increase in violence against journalists, said that 2017 is also considered a bad year for having access to information.
NAI has released its new report while, in the latest incident, the Afghan Voice news agency was targeted by a terrorist suicide blast this morning (Thursday), that a number of journalists and media employees were among the victims of this incident.
Earlier, Reporters without Borders had named Afghanistan as the third most dangerous country for journalists in 2017.
ENDS
