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| Afghanistan |
| Afghans ban live coverage of Taliban attacks |
| 2010-03-03 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] The Afghan government has banned live coverage of militant attacks in a bid to prevent the Taliban from exploiting television news, after one of the deadliest days for NATO troops this year. The ban appears to apply to domestic and international news organizations, although the country's intelligence agency refused to provide details. Afghanistan's constitution guarantees freedom of speech and media. A spokesman said live television coverage of attacks -- such as that in Kabul last Friday which killed 16 people -- could alert militant organizations to police actions against their operatives on the ground. "While journalists are going to the scene of ongoing attacks, they endanger themselves and also they help inform the enemy with their live broadcasts or reporting of the progress of (police) operations," Hakim Ashir, the head of the Government Media and Information Centre, told AFP. The National Directorate for Security (NDS) refused to comment when contacted by AFP. A spokesman said only that media organizations would be "invited in small groups to meetings and the new rule will explained to them". It reflects an earlier attempt to ban coverage of Taliban attacks during elections in August, under threat of expulsion for international reporters and confiscation of equipment for Afghans. |
| Posted by:Fred |