National Union of Afghanistan’s Journalists said that 95 percent of Afghan journalists have the problem of access to information and they cannot cover stories independently.
The union has cited its polling that was conducted in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan during which 500 Afghan journalists were questioned.
Statistics of the polling were released in Kabul on Sunday, January 16, 2022, in a press conference.
As per the numbers, 90% of the attendants are facing serious problems in collecting information as there is no specific law of access to the information after the Taliban regained power.“We asked attendants if the media are censored, 90% said yes and only 10% said no, 90% attendants said yes to the question of access to information while the same percentage said they they have been censored by de facto authorities.” Said Masroor Lutfi head of the Union. The polling has also found that 30% of Afghan journalists found it difficult to interview Taliban authorities while 50% said that they have problems in interviewing common people.
It comes as journalists have been accusing the Taliban of censoring, beating, intimidating, and threatening them while covering stories especially outdoor ones.—Agencies
