12 journalists killed, 230 subjected to violence last year: AJSC

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC)  on Tuesday said 12 journalists have been killed and 230 others subjected to various types of violence in the past one year in Afghanistan.

The AJSC statement was issued on the occasion of the International Day to end impunity for crimes against journalists observed on November 2 each year.

“The international day to end immunity from crimes against journalists guarantees freedom of expression and access to information to all citizens," the statement said.

According to international figures, only one of the world's leading perpetrators of crimes against journalists has been prosecuted, and nine others have not been prosecuted for various reasons.

The source added that as journalists play a key role in providing information to the public, impunity for crimes against journalists has a negative impact on the process and limits public awareness and constructive discussion of the facts.

According to the statement, 12 journalists have been killed and 230 others have been subjected to various forms of violence (injuries, beatings, insults) last year.

The committee said that since the new regime in the country, there has been one incident of killing of journalists and 67 incidents of violence, the rest took place during the previous government.

It called on the government to establish special mechanisms to protect journalists and resolve cases of violence against journalists in light of the provisions of the law, and to bring the perpetrators of the above-mentioned crimes against journalists to justice.

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