(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Afghan Information and Culture Minister Rahin Makhdoom, RSF expressed concern over sanctions imposed on journalist Kabir Omarzai, who works for Afghanistan’s national radio and television network. “In view of interim leader Hamid Karzai’s personal commitment to support freedom of expression, the unjustifiable sanctioning of a journalist who did nothing […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Afghan Information and Culture Minister Rahin Makhdoom, RSF expressed concern over sanctions imposed on journalist Kabir Omarzai, who works for Afghanistan’s national radio and television network. “In view of interim leader Hamid Karzai’s personal commitment to support freedom of expression, the unjustifiable sanctioning of a journalist who did nothing more than ask a question at a press conference is regrettable,” stated the organisation’s Secretary-General Robert Ménard. RSF asked the minister to reconsider the decision and allow Omarzai to carry out his work without any restrictions.
According to information obtained by RSF, Karzai, Afghanistan’s interim leader, asked the minister of information and culture to sanction Omarzai, a few days after Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf’s visit to Kabul. At the joint press conference held in Kabul on 2 April 2002, the journalist had asked the Afghan and Pakistani leaders a question about the border problem between the two countries. Karzai had interrupted the journalist in mid-sentence and refused to reply. Afghan television cut the incident from its report on the press conference. According to an article published in issue 11 of the “Kabul Weekly”, the minister notified Omarzai that he was suspended from his duties for an unspecified length of time. According to certain sources, Omarzai has been allowed to return to work, but cannot cover any official events.
This is the first time since the fall of the Taliban regime than an Afghan journalist has been penalised for simply exercising the right to inform. Upon taking office on 22 December 2001, Karzai declared: “Freedom of expression and of belief is each and every Afghan citizen’s right, and it is our responsibility to defend that right.”
