Horror-struck Afghanistan media marks Press Freedom Day

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - The World Press Freedom Day was marked with a deep sense of grief in Afghanistan on Wednesday as the country mourned the loss of 11 media personnel, including young men and women, in one week.

The main event to mark the day was held in capital Kabul, where on Monday a Daesh-claimed twin suicide bombing killed 29 people, including nine journalists and cameraman.

Another journalist was killed on the same day by unknown assailants in Khost province.

On April 25, a Kandahar-based journalist was shot dead by gunmen riding a motorcycle.

Addressing the moot in Kabul, the National Unity Government’s Chief Executive Officer Adbullah Abdullah hailed the bravery and commitment of Afghan journalists despite the severe threats they face.

“There is no difference between the criminals of Daesh, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, the Haqqani network…If today one group was responsible for the attack on journalists, the other criminal groups are not exempt [from responsibility] because they have committed such brutal attacks repeatedly in the past,” Abdullah said.

The Afghan parliament also called for legislation to protect the rights and lives of journalists.

Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, speaker of the Wolesi Jiga (lower house), asked parliamentarians to swiftly come up with a draft law to regulate the appointment of journalists, their rights and safety.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented the killing of 14 journalists in conflict-related incidents in 2017; apart from the 11 killed, six others were also injured during the first four months of 2018.

The UN mission reiterated its commitment to defend Afghanistan’s free press and to support the Afghan government in its efforts to implement measures that improve journalists’ safety.