KABUL (SW) – Journalists in provinces across the country feel access to information has been severely restricted with the rise to power of the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan.
Following the establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, many media outlets have been shut down due to lack of funding and their staff have lost their jobs. But, the media houses that are still operating face the problem of not having access to information.
Reporters in the southern provinces say access to information has recently become increasingly difficult and they are unable to obtain information from officials in a timely manner.
Bismillah Watandoost, head of Sada-e Mellat radio in Kandahar, told Salam Watandar that access to information had recently become difficult in the province. According to him, in this province there are regular incidents such as explosions and other criminal crimes, but in these areas the journalists cannot access information for hours or even days.
Mohammadyar Majrooh, president of the Kandahar Free Journalists Association, says he has repeatedly raised the issue of journalists’ lack of access to information, but this problem has not been addressed yet.
Journalists in the western and northern provinces of the country face a similar situation.
They say they have been denied access to information since the recent transformation. According to them, many news and reports are not shared with them on a daily basis.
These reporters add that they face of difficulties to complete their news and reports and interview government sources. According to them, they also had problems in the previous government, but they were not so deprived of access to information.
These reporters also say that they can easily get information about social and economic issues, but most fail to obtain information related to security incidents.
Media activity in the east and southeast of the country is not without challenges, and journalists face many difficulties there as well. They call on the officials of the Islamic Emirate to address these problems of journalists.
Yusuf Zarifi, head of Afghanistan’s Committee to Protect Journalists in the East, says it is difficult for journalists to access information while lack of funding is another problem.
However, Bilal Karimi, a deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, told Salam Watandar that efforts were being made to facilitate journalists’ access to information. Karimi added that they are committed to working with the media and that journalists’ problems will be resolved over time.
In addition to lack of access to information, journalists face other problems, such as physical abuse during coverage of events, and even death threats and self-censorship.
ENDS
