2020, Vol. 1, Issue 2, Part A
History of freedom of press and current barriers in Afghanistan
Author(s): Sabghatullah Ghorzang
Abstract: Christopher Dodd argues that, when the public's right to know is threatened, and when the rights of free speech and free press are at risk, all of the other liberties we hold dear are endangered. Freedom of the Press is a fundamental right, which guarantees social rights too. Access to information is also a basic social right that can be achieved through Freedom of the Press in any state and society. If the state does not have freedom of the press, it will be difficult to ensure the protection of human rights. Afghanistan is one of the states which have been under a long-time war, and the warring parties do not care about human rights. The Freedom of the Press in the country had been under threat and working for the country's Press seems to carry a deadly risk. In this context, the core purpose of this study is to explore the history of Freedom of the Press during various political regimes that ruled contemporary Afghanistan.This paper highlights various phases of Press Freedom in Afghanistan, which has been limited and restricted as journalists in this country operate in one of the world's most complex, hostile, and contested information environments. If there was Freedom of Press, it was partial freedom or of limited period. For instance, media houses, including the publication of newspapers and broadcasting radio and TV during the Taliban regime of 1996, were banned except the Voice of Sharia Radio, which broadcast only religious speeches of Taliban leadership. Besides, research work reveals that only the regime of King Zahir Shah from 1963 to 73 ensured Press Freedom in Afghanistan that paved the way for democratic values to flourish in the country. More specifically, this study presents a comparison of Freedom of Press in Afghanistan, which has seen partial or limited. This limited Press Freedom impacted society negatively and derailed the democratic values in the state of Afghanistan. The study suggests the creation of a legal mechanism to improve access to information and ensure media independence for the development of Afghanistan.
Pages: 11-14 | Views: 1118 | Downloads: 488
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How to cite this article:
Sabghatullah Ghorzang. History of freedom of press and current barriers in Afghanistan. International Journal of Advanced Mass Communication and Journalism. 2020; 1(2): 11-14.
