BALKH - A journalist association in Afghanistan’s north expressed last week its concerns about “violence committed against journalists” by government officials.

Northern region’s reporter rights defense committee chairman, Qayom Babak, said that the committee had registered 10 reported cases of violence against reporters this year in the region including eight in Balkh and two in Faryab provinces.

“Misbehavior and violence against journalists have now turned into a culture and it will soon be completely institutionalized if national and international organizations do not act immediately to stop it. Journalists won’t be able to provide people with factual information anymore,” said Mr. Babak.

But, a government department responsible to ensure media freedom in the province said it was not aware of any such incident in Balkh province.

The committee demanded the government to bring the perpetrators of violence against journalists across the country to justice, particularly those who reportedly committed violence recently in Kabul and Jalalabad.

“Journalism itself is a difficult and sensitive work, and is particularly risky in Afghanistan,” said Mr. Babak, adding that the nation needs to get accurate facts and journalists should be given space to work.

However speaking to UNAMA, Balkh provincial director at the Department of Information and Culture, Saleh Mohammad Khaliq, said that his office had not heard any incident of violence against journalists in the province.

“We are the supporters of freedom of speech and my department has full responsibility to defend freedom of expression,” he Mr. Khaliq.

Source: Radio Azadi