Marking World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday, U.S ambassador to Kabul, Hugo Llorens, said on Wednesday that Afghan journalists fight daily to uncover truths and that the local media today is arguably the most free and vibrant in the region.
He said that in commemorating World Press Freedom Day, it is important to reflect on the critical role of an independent media in nurturing and protecting freedom of expression and democratic principles.
“We rely on a free, professional, and responsible press not only to keep us informed, but to shine a light on the hidden darkness of corruption, graft, illegal activity, and to hold our elected leaders accountable,” he said.
“Journalists around the world live with the constant threat of violence. Here in Afghanistan, journalists bravely face that reality head on by reporting on the Taliban and other terrorist networks that reject the truth and use fear, intimidation, torture, and murder as their currency.
“These cowards’ attempts to create false narratives are challenged daily by an Afghan media that refuses to remain silent,” Llorens said.
He said a vibrant and independent media is the bedrock of every democratic nation, “and we must all work together to protect these institutions. I commend the Government of National Unity for its efforts to better engage with the press. Likewise, the continuing work of the independent Afghan Journalists Safety Committee and other media advocacy groups are critical. While all of us recognize there is always work to be done, continuing engagement on all fronts will ultimately serve the people of Afghanistan.”
“So, today let us pause to remember those brave members of the media we lost in the past year while celebrating those who fight daily to uncover truth and tell us the stories we would otherwise never know. I call on every Afghan to stand with the brave men and women of the media and recognize their many contributions to democracy and civil society in Afghanistan,” he said.
Afghan CEO Abdullah Abdullah also marked the day and said in a statement that after the collapse of the Taliban regime, the role of media was critical in getting across information of the values of democracy, freedom of speech, governance, the fight against corruption, transparency, accountability and public awareness.
“In fact, media and democracy is one of the biggest achievements of the people of Afghanistan in the past 16 years and keeping of these achievements and supporting this is the reasonability of the National Unity Government (NUG),” he said in the statement.
Second Vice President Sarwar Danish meanwhile addressed a press conference on Wednesday and said that threats against journalists in the country were ongoing and that government is aware that because of this some journalists are leaving the profession.
He pointed out that freedom of speech in the country had its own enemies and that extremists are threatening journalists.
“In the past years we have made huge achievements in the country (in terms of press freedom),” he said.
He said government is responsible for ensuring freedom of speech and it has taken numerous steps to work with the media.
He pointed out the high number of incidents of violence against journalists in the country and said in the past 10 years there have been over 600 cases of assault and violence against media workers.
He also said that freedom of the press was non-negotiable in terms of peace talks.
Every year, May 3 is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
In 2016 Afghanistan was ranked the second deadliest country in the world for journalists, after Syria. Ten journalists were killed in the country last year.