Journalist detained for hours after Facebook jab at attorneys

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Police detained a private radio and television head in eastern Nangarhar province for some hours after he accused the provincial Attorney Office of releasing criminals under unclear circumstances.

Attal Khan Stanikzai, head of ‘Hamisha Bahar’ private radio and television, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the provincial police chief called him on Sunday and invited him to his office, but he was arrested upon arrival there.

He said he was arrested at 1pm and released at 11pm on the condition he would not write anything against the Attorney Office in future.

“Few days back, a man opened fire at our office, we captured that person and handed him over to police, but the Attorney Office released him soon, we complained about the issue and police rearrested the man.”

“Then I wrote on my Facebook page that prosecutors release criminals and the next day I invited journalists and civil society activists so we raise the matter, it was the reason I was arrested,” he said.

Nangarhar appellate court head, Sherin Mohammad Azam, confirmed Attal Stanikzai was arrested on their orders and they did so to convince him.

“This person frequently comes to the attorney office and bullies, we investigated the case and sent it to the court for a decision, but that person (Stanikzai) came again yesterday and used bad language against our officers yesterday when I was absent, I called the police to take him to me so I talk to him and convince him,” he said.

He said it was Stanikzai’s right to express his views but making a written accusation against someone without evidence was a crime.

Nangarhar police spokesman, Fraidon Khan, also said they detained Stanikzai and released him late last night. But he gave no more details.

On the other hand, journalists and their associations insisted the detention of Stanikzai was against the law and the freedom of speech.

Rahmatullah Ziarmal, head of Journalists Association of the Eastern Region, said that the attorney office should have referred the issue to the Media Violations Commission before detaining Stanikzai.

mds/ma

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