In the name of Almighty Allah
Civil Society and Human Rights Network Press Release on the illegal action of the Afghan police against Afghan Journalists of Tolo TV
April 2007
On April 17th Afghan Police, upon the (oral) recommendation of the General Prosecutor of Afghanistan , attacked Tolo TV. The police arrested the Chief Editor, the Legal Advisor and a journalist of TV station after having beaten and insulted them. Moreover, the journalist was released after some hours.
Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN) strongly condemns this illegal action. CSHRN believes that such illegal actions will badly damage the process of democratization, the establishment of rule of law, freedom of speech, and civil society in Afghanistan .
According to CSHRN this violent act of the Afghan police violates international human rights standards and infringes the Afghan Constitution.
CSHRN calls on the Afghan State to cause an investigation to be made. The Afghan State is obliged to inquire the reasons for this act violating freedom of expression and to bring the responsible persons to justice.
CSHRN believes that this illegal action in the current precarious period of time would undermine democracy, human rights culture and civil society values.
CSHRN calls upon the international community and the international media to support media and freedom of speech in Afghanistan in the present critical period of time.
Civil Society & Human Rights Network’s member organizations