KABUL (SW): The Afghanistan Journalists’ Council (AJC) has released its annual report about cases of violence against journalists in the previous lunar year.
Hafeezullah Barakzai, chairman of the AJC said up to 500 cases of violence against journalists have been registered. He noted an overwhelming majority of these cases have been filed against the government forces (247 cases), followed by 167 cases committed by the armed rebels, and 22 cases of violence against journalist committed by other armed individuals and groups.
He also mentioned the violence against journalists committed by media house (67 cases) in which either the security guards of the media houses abused the journalists, or the journalists were harassed via other means such as delay or suspension in payment of salaries.
The AJC said it has representation in 23 out of a total of 34 provinces in the country. It also lamented the ‘dual-policy’ of the President Palace, and said foreign media has easy access to the palace while the local media is facing discrimination. In a resolution, the AJC called for action against Shah Hussain Murtazawi, deputy presidential spokesman, for his latest remarks journalists.
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