HERAT CITY (SW) – Heading a high-level official delegation, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani traveled to Herat on Thursday.
However, no reporters were invited to cover the trip as local administration asked reporters to instead attend a meeting with Dawa Khan Minapal, the president’s spokesman. The reporters boycotted the meeting.
During his visit to Herat, the President met separately with civil and military officials, Ulema, women, youth, and members of the provincial council, influential people, civil society activists and the private sector representatives in Herat.
Criticizing the disrespect for journalists, Abdullah Saljuqi, a journalist in Herat, said that those journalists selected to meet with President Ghani in Herat were not critical of the government, but in fact belonged to his ‘team’. Reporters said that the President was scheduled to meet with various segments of the population, even the youth of Herat, but the media was nowhere to cover these meetings, which showed the presidential palace’s disrespect for journalists and the media community.
Press freedom organizations in Herat have also criticized the president and his team for insulting the media, saying that while the government has consistently chanted slogans in support of freedom of expression and media, it has done nothing in practice.
Homayoun Nazari, head of the Committee to Protect Journalists in Herat, criticized President Ghani. Nazari called the government’s action in Herat as a way of undermining freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, Dawa Khan Minhapal, deputy spokesman for the presidency, said the president had not held a press conference during his visit to any province.
Tight security measures were in place during the President’s visit to Herat.
ENDS
