Thursday May 3, 2018
Kabul (BNA) The Media Support Organization in Afghanistan – NAI has assured that violence against media workers has reduced tangibly, but other types of violence against them still concerning, compared to the last year.
Mujib Khelwatgar, the director of NAI-Media Support in Afghanistan said, that totally 160 cases of violence against journalists, including 19 cases of murder, and the remaining beating, insulting, verbal violence had been registered in 2017, while verbal violence has increased by 30 percent this year.
The joint government and journalist committee has partially paid attention to some cases, but, unfortunately, the cases of murder and injuries were not still addressed.
The journalistic work of media workers have improved eye-catchingly day by day and the journalists situation in regard to their works have improved, he said but regretted over what he said lack of access to information by the media workers still persist as a major challenge.
Up to 500 people have left their work as media profession between 2014 and 2016, mostly due to insecurity and poverty, after the European countries opened its way to the refugees, said Khelwatgar who added right now rough number of them resorted to other works against their skills.
He also expressed concern over the addiction of some of the countries’ journalists, mostly due to family disputes and said the move would have negative impact on other journalists’ spirit in the society.
About his led organization (NAI), he said that a 2-year program, covering radios, TVs and newspapers would help journalists build their capacity in term of their journalism profession. “Some journalists graduated from the program and resorted to practical works as media professionals. In term of short-term courses, journalism basics, research reporting, media management and the journalism ethic, the NAI organization has also done much to offer professional journalists to the society.
The media freedom is one of the most important achievements of the government of Afghanistan in the past 17 years, in the country, though with fragile security prevailed.
Kohistani
