NAI supports media protest over access to state-held information

KABUL (Pajhwok): Media Support Organization (Nai) has backed media outlets demand for access to legitimate information believed that any type of restriction on access to information was against the current law in the country, a statement said on Tuesday.

Barriers in the access to information has forced most of media outlets to stage protest on Tuesday.

The protest media outlets cited a large number of government entities including the Supreme Court, the Attorney General's Office, the Defense, Interior, Finance and Public Health Ministry, the Presidential Office, the National Procurement Authority and the Central Bank as the most limited entities in terms of access to information.

More than 30 high-profile media outlets in the country and 18 media entities have considered the situation regarding access to information a serious threat to freedom of expression and asked the Afghan government and the international community to take required measures in this regard.

Abdul Mujeeb Khalvatgar, Nai Managing Director said that access to information has been worst in the last five years and we are in critical situation.

He continued: “If there is no access to information then the nature of the media as a tool of freedom of expression will be vanished.”

The protest took place in front of Ministry of Information and Culture where the government had promised to build the monument of Martyred journalists three year ago but still the work process of the monument has not been started.

Protest rally which was held on lack of access to information, officials of media supporting entities and media outlets blamed the Ministry of Information and Culture and Kabul Municipality for not following up the work process of the Freedom of Expression’s monument.

Nai strongly supports this protest and put efforts to achieve the objectives of this protest.

nh