KABUL (SW) – The Ministry of Information and Culture has confirmed that the process of registering journalists’ profiles will begin next week.
Abdulhaq Hammad, the head of the supervision of media publications in the ministry, stated that the purpose of this action is to identify journalists and remove challenges.
Mr. Hammad told Salam Watandar: “The Ministry of Information and Culture, after receiving a complaint from journalists that in some places security and intelligence agencies are asking them for a journalistic letter or identity card, decided to distribute a special card to all Afghan journalists. to solve this problem. On the other hand, there was another problem that anyone, whether he was a journalist or not, took a video from anywhere with a camera in his hand, in the name of a journalist. This process was done to regulate the work of journalists and separate others.”
The head of monitoring media publications in the Ministry of Information and Culture added that this ministry has prepared a plan based on which all media-related work has been carried out by this ministry and other institutions are not allowed to interfere in the work of the media.
He clarified: “The main point is that there was an inconsistency between the relevant departments, and in order to eliminate the inconsistency between the departments and for the work of journalists to be related only to the Ministry of Information and Culture, this plan was prepared by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Public Affairs and an understanding was made to prohibit denial and intelligence so that after this, any case related to the media will be handled through the Ministry of Information and Culture only.”
However, the officials of the organization supporting independent media, NAI, has welcomed this action of the Ministry of Information and Culture. It has emphasized that the distribution of membership cards to journalists and the creation of a database about them should not be made mandatory.
Zarif Karimi, the official of NAI, told Salaam Watandar: “This work of the Ministry of Information and Culture, subject to implementation, can reduce the problems of the media and journalists, but one thing to worry about is that journalists having their respective media card, should not be forced to accept the card of the government department. This concern can be expressed while affecting the identity of freelance journalistic work. NAi expects that the responsible authorities will try to implement this decision and take serious action if there is interference in the work of the media.”
On the other hand, a number of journalists, in response to this action of the Ministry of Information and Culture, say that the distribution of cards to journalists and the decision not to interfere in the work of the media is a positive step in supporting the media and freedom of expression.
Dawood Nazeri, a reporter in one of the electronic media in Kabul, said: “As a reporter, I welcome this action of the Ministry of Information and Culture because the identity of journalists is established and interference in the work of journalists and freedom of expression is reduced. But the card that the Ministry of Information and Culture wants to distribute to journalists, after establishing their identity, must be recognized everywhere and solve the existing problems.”
Soheila Sadat, another journalist in Kabul, said: “If this decision of the Ministry of Information and Culture can help journalists to distinguish real journalists from others, and the processes of assistance for journalists or processes that clarify the process oof freeing journalists, we welcome such decisions and it is a good thing. But if it cannot solve the existing problems of journalistic work, it will not be a solution.”
The Ministry of Information and Culture has eemphasized hat all the work related to the media is followed by this ministry and no other institution has the right to interfere in the work of the media.
ENDS
