Violence on rise against journalists in north

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (PAN): Journalists in northern provinces say incidents of violence and threats against them are on the increase.

The Journalists Union head for the northern zone, Gulab Shah Bawar, told Pajhwok Afghan News the officials concerned were yet to break their silence on the increasing incidents of violence against journalists.

He said in the past week alone, a radio station was shut down and two reporters beaten up.

He said the Sada-i-Bano radio had been closed down in Sar-i-Pul province by the provincial information and culture department and the two reporters with a private TV channel thrashed in Baghlan.

He said it was responsibility of the Information and Culture Ministry to investigate incidents of violence against reporters and protect them.

A NAI official in Mazar-i-Sharif, Noor Agha Sharifi, said only media advocacy and civil society groups raised their voices in support of journalists.

He said the government and especially the Ministry of Information and Culture should fulfill their responsibility towards protecting journalists.

Bawar said 14 incidents of violence against journalists had taken place since the first month of last year to date.

He said a dozen of the incidents involved government officials and one each Taliban insurgents and powerful individuals.

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