Findings by Kabul-based Journalists Federation show that at least ten journalists and media workers were killed in the 2019 in the country but despite that, violence against media workers and journalists has reduced by 60 percent compared to the last year.

Of the 10 murder cases, the federation spokesman said, perpetrators of six cases have been arrested and the remaining four cases are under investigation.

Other figures by the Ministry of Interior reveal that at least 80 cases of violence against journalists have been registered by the security institution so far this year while 30 of these cases have been assessed.

“We have recorded 116 cases of violence (against journalists) of which 10 are murder cases and seven of them have happened on duty,” said Hujjatullah Mujaddedi, member of Afghanistan Journalists Federation.

Interior Ministry’s spokesman, Nusrat Rahimi, who spoke at a joint press conference, said a special committee was established this year to investigate cases of violence against Journalists in the country.

“Thirty-two cases of violence against journalists were referred to the Attorney General’s Office and 23 perpetrators have been killed in police operation,” Rahimi said.

“All (Army) corps forces have been directed to coordinate with media workers and journalists,” the Defense Ministry spokesman Rohullah Ahmadzai said.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Office spokesman Jamshid Rasuli said they have probed over 30 cases of violence against journalists this year.

Figures by Afghanistan Journalists Federation reveal that at least 110 journalists were killed in the country over the past 18 years.

Also, Reporters without Borders (RSF) has said in a recent annual report that violence against journalists and media workers has decreased by 44 percent worldwide compared to the last year, with 495 journalists having been killed, detained, and held hostage in 2019 across the world.