Afghan media refuse to censor election reporting
source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/19/AR2009081900693.html
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Afghan journalists on Wednesday rejected a demand by the Foreign Ministry not to broadcast information about attacks or violence on election day, charging it violated their constitutional right to cover the news.
The Taliban have ramped up attacks ahead of Thursday's vote, including two suicide bombings against NATO troops, rocket fire on the presidential compound and an armed assault on a bank in recent days. The militant group has also threatened to attack polling stations on Thursday.
Fearing that violence could dampen turnout, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement Tuesday saying that news organizations should avoid "broadcasting any incidence of violence" between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. on election day "to ensure the wide participation of the Afghan people."
Afghanistan's active local media - the country has a host of newspapers, radio stations and television news outlets - condemned the statement as stifling freedom of the press that was supposed to have returned after the ouster of the Taliban in 2001.
The Taliban have ramped up attacks ahead of Thursday's vote, including two suicide bombings against NATO troops, rocket fire on the presidential compound and an armed assault on a bank in recent days. The militant group has also threatened to attack polling stations on Thursday.
Fearing that violence could dampen turnout, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement Tuesday saying that news organizations should avoid "broadcasting any incidence of violence" between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. on election day "to ensure the wide participation of the Afghan people."
Afghanistan's active local media - the country has a host of newspapers, radio stations and television news outlets - condemned the statement as stifling freedom of the press that was supposed to have returned after the ouster of the Taliban in 2001.
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