Afghanistan’s media under severe pressure as election draws near

By Andreas Reventlow, IMS Communications Coordinator

Afghanistan’s journalists face an uphill battle to cover the country’s April presidential election and not die trying

Stuck between warlords, the Taliban, and a hostile government, Afghanistan’s journalists are up against a seemingly endless list of difficulties. Violent attacks, threats, and intimidation occur on a near-daily basis and are likely to swell in the run-up to the election, says the IMS-founded Afghan Journalists’ Safety Committee (AJSC) in a recent report (PDF).

Violence against the media decreased 15% in the second part of 2013 when compared to the first six months of the year, but with the scramble for political power intensifying, this development is unlikely to turn into a trend, says the Kabul-based journalist safety organisation:

“The violence is likely to increase in the run-up to the elections due to the increasing attempts of the Afghan government to control the information space, increased subversive activities of the Taliban, increased activities of the warlords in electoral campaigns, and low levels of knowledge about election coverage among reporters.”

But the likely rise in violence is not the only concern.

The low levels of professional skills of many journalists undermine the credibility and legitimacy of the journalistic profession as a whole, says AJSC. Adding to this, unprofessional coverage of the election could deepen the divide between the country’s ethnic groups, which in turn could lead to interethnic violence, adds AJSC.

Support for election coverage

Despite the numerous shortcomings in the run-up to the election, which include general insecurity, systematic fraud and misuse of power by authorities, and lack of awareness about electoral procedures, the election remains the only legitimate way to transfer powers in a peaceful manner.

The media, of course, is not the only player to ensure a peaceful, transparent electoral process, but its central role in providing a platform for public debate and shaping perceptions of the election process is crucial. To perform this role, it needs all the assistance it can get, says Jesper Højberg, Executive Director of IMS:

“It is of paramount importance to support Afghanistan’s media in this crucial time, so that it may cover the election in an ethically sound, professional manner that contributes to a transparent, peaceful electoral process.”

To assist Afghanistan’s journalists in covering the election, IMS works to improve their professional skills related to conflict sensitive journalism and elections reporting and equip them with knowledge on how to stay safe on the job.

This training goes hand-in-hand with a series of ten election events where journalists, media owners, and civil society representatives discuss the roles and responsibilities of the media to ensure that the coverage will be constructive and professional, rather than divisive and inflammatory.

The efforts to enable Afghan journalists to better and more safely cover the elections take place in close partnership with AJSC. The organisation, which was set up in Kabul in 2009, represents a core part of IMS’ approach to safety, says Jesper Højberg:

“The kind of local expertise AJSC provides combined with its comprehensive set of tools to protect journalists is integral to IMS’ work to improving media safety and safeguarding the right to exercise freedom of expression.”

Progress at risk

The current government has shown little interest in safeguarding Afghanistan’s strides made in the area of freedom of expression over the last decade. Where journalists in other parts of the world might look to the authorities for help when they are subject to systematic violence, hoping for assistance from the Afghan government would seem almost naive.

In fact, the government has adopted a rather hostile approach to the media, with officials intimidating journalists and authorities providing for an environment of near total impunity for those who attack the media.

On the legal side of things, President Hamid Karzai has yet to sign into effect a law on Access to Information that was drafted in 2011. This makes obtaining information from official bodies virtually impossible and hinders attempts to ensure transparency in the electoral process as well as future government accountability, says AJSC:

“The Afghan government needs to shift away from seeing the media as a threat. They should consider the industry a strategic asset for the development of the country, the solidification of democracy, and the marginalisation of the propaganda of the Taliban.”

Real and meaningful support from the government is just one of several preconditions required if Afghanistan’s media sector is to sustain itself. Higher professional standards, business plans that are able to produce a profit, and independent oversight mechanisms are others. Realising such preconditions presents a challenge to media outlets everywhere, but in Afghanistan it is arguably a much more complex task than in most other parts of the world.

For now, the pressing issue is to not lose the progress achieved over the last decade, and to provide the population of Afghanistan with the best election coverage journalists faced with daily attacks and intimidation can possibly muster.

Afghanistan’s presidential election is slated for 4 April 2014. Parliamentary elections are expected to take place in 2015. 

The Afghan Journalists’ Safety Committee is the first organisation of its kind in Afghanistan with its inclusion of press unions, media representatives and civil society organisations. Covering 32 out of the country’s 34 provinces, it is in charge of a 24-hour hotline, a safety support emergency fund and runs advocacy campaigns on safety and media freedom.