Kabul, 3rd July 2012
Following a series of objections, the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture invalidated the new media law draft and wiped it off its working agenda.
The new media law draft published and disseminated for reporters’ and media personnel’s feedback two months ago was aimed to replace the existing media law; however, most media agencies considered the draft a plot to limit the media freedom and expressed serious concerns over it.
Din Mohammad Mobariz Rashidi, deputy minister of information and culture, speaking in a gathering of reporters and media personnel in Kabul invalidated the new draft of media law.
Deputy Minister said that the draft that was disseminated in a hurry to media organizations had problems, and some articles of the draft caused serious and deep concerns among Afghan and international media society.
Mr. Rashidi said, “If ever the Afghan media law requires any amendment, it would be done in consultation with media and civil society of the country.”
Calling the past decade’s Afghan media and press freedom achievements “unique”, the deputy minister emphasized that Ministry of Information and Culture “will never accept any amendments that may mean limiting the freedom of expression.”
Prior to this decision, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) had appealed to Afghan government to forgo passing this draft.
The HRW in a statement had written that passing the new media law draft will increase the government’s control over media and will lunar the freedom of expression.
In the new media law draft, which was published in 110 articles, special authorities have been given to Media High Council, most of whose members are government representatives.
Ambiguity in defining “public security and public interest” along with lack of attention to reporters’ job security were among the points that attracted serious objections of media organizations.
The current Afghan Media Law was passed in 2002 and was revised following an increase in media organizations. It was approved by the Afghan Parliament in 2007. The Media Law was revised for the third time in 2009 and was finally approved and published in 54 articles in the same year.