Govt accused of trying to curb media freedom

KABUL): The Right and Justice Party on Sunday accused President Hamid Karzai of seeking to curtail the hard-won freedom of media.

Last week, the president blamed some media outlets for working against the national interest and ordered the Ministry of Information to take necessary measures against them.

Reacting to the presidential remarks, the opposition party said any steps toward curbing the freedom of expression was against the constitution and the media law.

Such restrictions as sought by the government had worried the party, civil society organisations and the entire Afghan media sector, a senior leader of Right and Justice Party told reporters in Kabul.

Asif Ashna said the freedom of expression could play a vital role in strengthening democracy and vital state institutions in a country. Unfortunately, he observed, the Afghan government was trying to sensor the media.

He asked the administration to respect the media and the freedom of expression and avoid scarifying it to protect individual interests.