Nai, an organization supporting open media in Afghanistan, on Tuesday criticized Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for not allowing journalists to accompany him on foreign trips.  

Mujib Khelwatgar, head of Nai, said Ghani’s move to exclude journalists was against the Constitution and in violation of the access to information law. He said that all official presidential trips should be reported on. 

Ghani also does not usually hold press conferences during foreign visits. 

“We should remember that this act by the president is against the Constitution and against the law on access to information, because the people of Afghanistan have the right to know about the results of the president’s trips. It is the right of the people of Afghanistan,” Khelwatgar said. 

The presence of free media reporters is critical to the coverage of the president's trips, he said.

“This act by President (Ashraf Ghani) can be called censorship because we are left unaware about what has happened during the president’s trips ,” he said.

This is not however a new trend as Ghani has failed to take journalists with him on key foreign trips in the past including that to United Nations meetings in New York, Brussels meeting, and to other countries, including this week’s trip to India. 

“Even in dictatorial and closed-system governments, presidents take journalists with them on their trips. For instance, we can name Iran,” Khelwatgar said.

However, the Presidential Palace has said that journalists are welcome to accompany Ghani but they have to cover their own costs.