KABUL (SW): On the backdrop of persistent violence and threats aimed at the journalists, the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) believe establishment of a special committee for the oversight of security for journalists would be of great help.
Rahimullah Samandar, Head of the AIJA told Salam Watandar that this committee would compel the government to seriously pursue cases of violence against the journalists. This committee has five members and will function under the Attorney General Office, he noted.
The committee is said to have one representative each from the AGO, the spy agency NDS, the Ministry of Interior (MoI), the Ministry of Culture and Information and a representative from the Afghanistan Journalists Federation(AJF). The main function of this committee will be to hold a meeting as soon as there is a case of violence against journalists, and then this will be referred to the concerned department for swift action.
Hundreds of Afghan reporters have been the victims to various acts of violence committed against them by individuals with authority and clout. Many such cases have for unknown reasons remained unsolved at the judicial institutions of the country for a while now.
Fahim Dashti, an executive officer at the AJF, said in this regard that establishing such committee will leave no room for excuses for such cases to remain unsolved.
He said that this committee will further boost the confidence of journalists since this will ensure and defend their rights against powerful and influential groups, institutions and individuals.
According to some reports, 620 cases of violence against journalists have been registered, which have taken place over the years out of which 59 have led to death of the victim.
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