Freedom of Expression Red Line In Peace Negotiations With Oppositions, Danesh

Kabul (BNA) Mohammad Sarwar Danesh, the second-vice president of Afghanistan, in a meeting of the joint media and government committee, said that freedom of expression was the government’s red line in peace process with the armed oppositions, a statement from his office said Sunday. At a gathering attended by the government cabinet ministers, deputies of the ministries, representatives of the embassies and other international institutions, the vice president, first praised what he said a hard work of the joint committee for doing their responsibilities before journalists and making effort for safety and security of media workers and then said the committee had done its work properly over the last one year of the committee establishment, the statement said. The vice-president went on blaming extremist groups and local powerful individuals for being behind imposing violence, restrictions and self-censorship on media, but said the government, despite this, had done much in restoration of freedom of expression and belief and maintaining journalist’s safety over the recent two years. Approval and issuance of the law on access to information was one of the government practical measures adopted recently towards supporting media and freedom of expression and added the government was also committed to establish a joint committee to meet media outlets’ problems in the center and provinces of the country, said the statement. He called freedom of expression the government’s red line during any situations, particularly in the most destiny-making process of peace with the government armed oppositions and added that no one would be allowed to invade the people and media freedom. The vice-president said the law of access to information, has its own legal restriction and that any effort to provide information is restricted to not be opposing national security of the country and not to be contrary to the public order and security or not be against the people privacy and personal rights, as well as not to cause hatred and tribal or linguistic disputes or causing outbreak of religious and violence among the nation. He asked the media to help strengthen the spirit of national interest and resolute support to the country’s security forces who are victimizing themselves against the enemy of the people of Afghanistan, the statement said. He also said the distribution process of ID or e-Tazkera is expected to be started by next week and that appreciated Afghanistan parliament for approving the population statistics as one of the latest impediment to the distribution process. Other speakers including, Fahim Dashti, a member of the journalists and media federation of Afghanistan spoke on the occasion and provided the meeting with details about the achievements of the media and the challenges, they are facing in the future.