free expression, kamran was released

Kamran was released last night at 07:00. he was handcuffed and foot chained. He was told that NDS is there to ensure his security but they feel sorry for the journalists that they don’t realize it. He was told that he spoke of psychological torture and compared the place with guantanamo, after his first release, while he was well treated the first time, they wanted to show him what guantanamo could be like. One of NDS deputies spoke to him for several hours, using a combination of threat and suggestions. He was told only to write in favor of the government.

Just before Kamran was kidnapped we received a letter from the media complaints commission sent to attorney general and journalist union too. The letter was signed by the minister of information and culture, Khoram.

The commission resolution had more of a consulting tone, and do not outline any violation of the law and requires no apology or any other fine.

However the letter says he would be referred to the court and prosecutor office if any future complain surface.

I don’t think this is a smart statement to make if there is any future problem then the media commission should pick it and resolve it, just like this time. If a journalist is critical he shouldn’t be referred to the court. The commission job is not only to handle soft cases and use the court and prosecutor as a threat.

The letter also doesn’t mention of the five days detention. I think the commission, if it was truly an independent one, should have condemned the detention and should have directed NDS to leave kamran alone.

For a month NDS was spying on kamran and radio salam watandar we brought this issue several times to the attention of the commission and ministry of information and culture but nothing was done about it. journalists shouldn’t be chased and intimidated while conducting their professional work, as a matter of fact everybody has the right to privacy and NDS shouldn’t intrude, aggressively, into public privacy.

We have friends in the parliament, and we have many friends of friends. I think we should bring the media situation to their attention.

I think we should bring kamran’s issue in the general context of free expression to the parliament.

The government has been constantly violating the right to free expression, other cases include the cabinet approved media regulation. According to the civil servant media regulation, government employees are not allowed to talk with media that include, teachers, all civil and military personnel; and interviews in school and universities are ban. Government is basically forbidding hundreds of thousands of people if not millions of free expression. They can’t talk about their work and the incredible corruption surrounding it.

The ministry of information and culture issues letters from time to time telling media how to cover certain incidents. For example media has been told to respect leaders of Islamic republic of Iran and use a careful language when talking about their politics. Why is NDS not taking the minister letter serious, promoting the interests of another country based on their request can fall very good another the category of espionage.

Kamran was arrested

Kamran Mirhazar, (Salam Watandar journalist), has been detained by Afghanistan’s NDS special police again. He was picked up outside the Internews office this morning at 9.20am by 7 plain clothed NDS special police in 3 unmarked vehicles. He was forced into a car at gun point. This is the 2^nd time in one month he has been detained with no reason provided and no legal representation. Most of you are familiar with the previous 5 day detention of Kamran by NDS police. Last time we believe he was released unharmed due to the combined lobbying efforts of the Afghan media, a few Afghan ministers, human rights agencies and a handful of leading international development agencies. Kamran has been living at the Internews office since his last detention due to fear of ongoing surveillance and intimidation by NDS police.

No reason was provided for Kamran’s arrest

Kamran does not have legal representation

Kamran has no mode of communication to anyone

Last time Kamran was detained NDS officers line of questioning focused largely on Kamran’s website Kabul Press http://www.kabulpress.org/ they were concerned that Kamran was funded by a source/agency that was working to undermine the government of Afghanistan.

به خاطر بازداشت دوبارهء "کامران میرهزار"

به نام خداوند آزادی

 

اعلامیه ی اعضای کمیته ی حمایت از "میرهزار"

به خاطر بازداشت دوبارهء "کامران میرهزار"

 

کامران میرهزار، خبرنگار سلام وطندار و سردبیر سایت کابل پرس، امروز ساعت 9:20 صبح، بار دیگر از سوی افراد ناشناسی که لباس ملکی به تن داشتند و خود را کارمندان امنیت ملی معرفی کردند ، از مقابل دفتر کارش بازداشت شد.

 

به گفته ی شاهدان عینی، افرادی که شناسنامه ی امنیت ملی را داشتند، بدون مدرک رسمی، کامران میرهزار را به زور، سوار موتر خود ساختند و به سمت نا معلومی بردند.

 

ریاست عمومی سارنوالی امنیت ملی بر بنیاد مطالعه ی دوسیه ی میرهزار، پس از جریان تحقیق و باز پرسی، دوسیه ی او را یک تخطی رسانه یی خوانده و آن را ضمن آزادی کامران، به کمیسیون تخطی رسانه های همگانی محول نمود.

کمیسیون تخطی رسانه های همگانی به ریاست عبدالکریم خرم، وزیر اطلاعت و فرهنگ، به تاریخ 13 اسد سال جاری با حضور اعضاء و شخص آقای میرهزار تشکیل جلسه داد و پس از ارزیابی و بحث، به تاریخ 16/05/1386، فیصلهء خود را مبنی بر توصیه به سردبیر کابل پرس، صادر نمود.

 

باید گفت که بازداشت این بار کامران میرهزار، همانند دفعهء پیش، غیر قانونی و با جبر و اکراه صورت گرفته است.

 

اعضای کمیته ی حمایت از میرهزار که متشکل از خبرنگاران، نویسنده گان، روشنفکران و اعضای نهادهای جامعه ی مدنی می باشد، ضمن محکومیت بازداشت میرهزار، برخورد نهادهای مسئوول امنیتی و در کلیت دولت را در برابر خبرنگاران، غیر دموکراتیک و خطرناک دانسته، خواهان دانستن دلیل بازداشت و هم چنان رهایی کامران میرهزار می باشند.

قابل تذکر است که تا ساعت3 پس از چاشت امروز پنج شنبه، یعنی حدود 7 ساعت پس از بازداشت کامران میر هزار، نه تنها کمیته ی دفاع از کامران، بلکه، بسا از نهادهای جامعه ی مدنی و دفاتر حقوقی و هم چنان نهادهای سازمان ملل متحد از جمله یوناما، در تلاش شناسایی بازداشت کننده گان و رهایی کامران بوده اند؛ ولی تا هنوز نتیجه ای به دست نیامده است.

باید گفت که نا معلوم بودن وضعیت و چگونگی برخورد با کامران، این نگرانی را ایجاد می کند که تا روشن شدن وضعیت میرهزار، وی اذیت های جسمی و روانی شود.

کمیته ی دفاع از کامران میرهزار، از تمام نهادهای مدنی و مجامع بین المللی، موسسات دفاع از حقوق بشر و دفاع از آزادی بیان درخواست می نماید تا در زمینه ی روشن شدن سرنوشت آقای میرهزار، سعی لازم نموده تا مقامات امنیتی حاضر به رهایی و یا اعلام اتهام علیه موصوف شوند.

 

در غیر آن، ما از مجموع امکانات قانونی به خاطر رهایی و روشن شدن اتهام علیه کامران میرهزار دریغ نخواهیم کرد.

 

با ارات زیاد

اعضای کمیته ی حمایت از میرهزار

 

 

protecting westeners

Today 31^st of July is another day off for foreign aid workers. After the explosion east of Kabul the situation was assessed critical by foreign embassies and NGO security organization. NGOs have recruited security contractors to provide them security and advice. The security contractors have advised four NGOs I managed to get hold to go home for the afternoon and keep low profile.

This is only limited to foreign aid workers and Afghans remain in the offices and are working.

The security contractor assessed the situation not that bad for afghans.

The security contractors are quick when it comes to making decisions about foreigners.

Journalists of an international media organization are being followed by unknown people. The chasers are in plane cloth and have two private cars, while journalists went to ask them who they are and why they are being followed they were treated badly and were told its an issue of national security.

The issue was reported to the media organization management ten days ago and it was repeatedly brought to their attention but no decision has been made yet.

This once again tells us the mission of foreigners in Afghanistan. It’s about them, an organization with 5 foreign employees spend a million dollar on security. This won’t be acceptable anywhere else in the world either.

I have done several stories about security contractors. They are here to protect foreign security. i don’t see much difference between a security contractor and an alqiada fighter, in terms of legal statues. Neither of them could be trailed under Afghan law or any other law. Both have their own agenda, one ideological and not connected to Afghan interest. The other financial and steals Afghan money.