427 cases of violence against journos referred to related organs

KABUL (Pajhwok): The committee to assess violence against joualists on Tuesday said it had referred documents and evidence about crimes against reporters to the authorities conceed for investigation.

Executive director of NAI, which supports free media in Afghanistan, Mujib Khilwatgar, also member of the committee, told a press conference here that the cases were assessed in two months by members of the committee and were sent on Tuesday to the departments conceed for investigations.

The committee was formed in February as requested by the Afghanistan Joualists’ Federation and in compliance with a presidential decree to investigate cases of violence against joualists and media persons.

Representatives from the Attoey General Office, the National Directorate of Security, the Ministry of Information and Culture, the Ministry of Interior and media outlets are members of the committee.

Khilwatgar said a total of 679 cases of violence against joualists had been registered in the country, including 60 murders, 46 injuries, 222 beating, 84 arrests, 29 abduction and 238 insult and threatening cases.

Of the cases, 252 cases were ignored due to the passing long time or committed by insurgents and because it was impossible to investigate them, he said, adding the committee had sent 401 cases to the Ministry of Interior and NDS and seven other cases to the Attoey General Office.

Eighteen cases committed by foreign troops should be referred to the Foreign Ministry to discuss them with NATO headquarters, he said.

myn/ma