58 violence against journalist cases in Afghanistan in 2010

58 violence against journalist cases in Afghanistan in 2010

2011-04-12 01:45:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- There were 58 incidents of violence against journalists reported in Afghanistan over the past year, Media Watch said Monday.

"Government officials are involved in 26 incidents of violence on journalists, unknown men in 18, NATO-led ISAF soldiers in 9, media people in three and Taliban fighters in two," Siddqullah Tawhidi, head of Media Watch, told  a press conference in Kabul, as cited by Pajhwok news agency.

He added that one reporter was killed, three others wounded and eight more arrested during the year, while 18 reporters were beaten and 28 others received direct and indirect threats from government and anti-government figures.

Tawhidi accused the Afghan government of not protecting journalists, who are usually denied access to information from ministries. He said officials prefer foreign media for information against Afghans.

A book titled "Reporters in Afghanistan" by Nai, an organisation that supports independent media in Afghanistan, was also presented at the press conference. The book carries stories of journalists with evidences between 2004 and 2010.

Media Watch released the first report covering 10 years on violations against journalists in Afghanistan last year. It reported that 252 cases of violations against journalists had been recorded, while 26 Afghan and foreign journalists were assassinated in different parts of the war-torn country.

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