KABUL, AFGHANISTAN- World Press Freedom Day was celebrated by 150 Afghan journalists, foreign press and media development agencies at Carwan Sarai, Kabul, Afghanistan on May 3, 2006.

 

World Press Freedom Day was celebrated by 150 Afghan journalists, foreign press and media development agencies at Carwan Sarai, Kabul, Afghanistan on May 3, 2006.

 

A highlight at the annual event was the awarding of “Courage in Journalism Awards” to ten journalists who are dedicated to promoting the free flow of ideas and information and a tribute to the many journalists harmed as a result of their profession.

 

Since April 2003, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has continued to work with the government of Afghanistan on building independent media throughout the country.

 

During the celebrations, Afghan journalists gave testimonials of their reporting experiences. The celebration also featured an analysis of the revised Afghan media law by Baheen Sultan, United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan national informational officer, and an overview of the freedom barometer for journalists in Afghanistan by Jawed Ahmadi and Aziz Habibullah of Nai-Media Watch.

 

Afghanistan is listed as the ninth most dangerous country for journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Since 1996, at least 10 reporters have been murdered under “suspicious circumstances”. In the past year, at least one former Afghan journalist was found dead, another Afghan journalist jailed, and at least two were kidnapped.  Globally, at least 58 journalists were murdered and more than 500 arrested last year.

 

The event was sponsored by Internews Afghanistan, Internews Europe, Nai – Supporting Afghanistan Media, UNESCO, USAID and the European Commission.