A protracted struggle for media freedoms has culminated in Afghanistan’s President ratifying the Access to Information law, which some have hailed as a new era of press freedoms.

Media advocates say they hope the law will play a role in helping to fight corruption and increase transparency and accountability in public and private sectors, as it is especially designed to help journalists prepare investigative reports.

“The Access to Information law is a big step toward effective information accumulation, dissemination and circulation in Afghanistan,” said Siddiqullah Tawhidi, the director of Nai, an organization that supports open media in Afghanistan.

“The law will help journalists, and even the general public, obtain required information from government institutions and private firms regarding their programmes, projects and activities,” said Nai’s director.

Designed to clarify certain rights identified in the Afghan Constitution, the law was approved by the Lower House of the Afghan Parliament on 30 June and ratified by President Ashraf Ghani on 30 November.

Mr. Tawhidi said that, prior to the legislation’s ratification, journalists faced difficulties in preparing their investigative reports, as the required documents from government institutions were inaccessible. Sharing similar views, Hamid Poia, the head of Media Bazaar, an Afghan media watchdog, said that the ratification of the law is promising, and will help fight corruption.

“Both President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah, during their electoral campaigns, committed to seriously fighting corruption,” said Mr. Poia. “Implementing the Access to Information law is a major step toward fighting corruption, and now is the time for both leaders to issue strict directives for government authorities concerning the implementation of the law.”

However, despite the excitement corresponding to the ratification of the law, some have expressed concerns regarding its implementation. “If the law is not presented strongly in Afghan society, and if the Government does not strongly support it, I don’t believe it can change anything,” said Farahnaz Forotan, an Afghan television reporter, emphasizing that, in addition to implementing the law, the Government should provide protection to journalists.

Similarly, Mr. Poia said he believes corrupt officials could impede the implementation of the law, and appealed to the leaders of the Government of National Unity to help give it strength.

In addition to expressing concerns over the legislation’s implementation, media advocates have stressed the need for necessary amendments to the law so it can achieve its objectices. Sayed Ikram Afzali, the Chief Executive Officer of Integrity Watch Afghanistan, said that at least 10 articles of the law are “problematic,” and pointed out that, in its current form, the law will create limitations for the media and research bodies, and ultimately harm freedom of speech.

One article of the law, for example, states that if national interest is threatened, the information will not be given to anybody. Mr. Afzali said the legislation’s definition of “national interest” is unclear and could lead to long delays in accessing vital information for journalists working on tight deadlines.

Members of the Afghan parliament are opposing amendments.