AFGHANISTAN URGENT ACTION - Journalist detained, risks torture or death: Nasto Naderi.

UA: 120/12 Index: ASA 11/008/2012 Afghanistan Date: 30 April 2012 Date: 14 January 2011

URGENT ACTION

JOURNALIST DETAINED, RISKS TORTURE OR DEATH

Afghan TV journalist Nasto Naderi has been detained without charge since 21 April, when he was summoned to the General prosecutor’s office for questioning over a controversial broadcast . He is at grave risk of torture or death .

Nasto Naderi works for Noorin TV in the capital, Kabul, and hosts a programme called "Salaam to my homeland”, known for revealing cases of corruption, criminality and other controversial issues, often implicating high-profile Afghan government figures and members of the Afghan parliament.

The manager of Noorin TV told Amnesty International that the Attorney General had summoned Nasto Naderi to his office on 21 April for questioning after the broadcast of a programme critical of the mayor of Kabul. He was arrested without charge at the office, and has been held since then in Kabul Detention Centre, without access to a lawyer or to a court.

Nasto Naderi may have been arrested and detained solely for exposing corruption in the awarding of road-construction contracts by Kabul Municipality in "Salaam to my homeland".

Under Afghanistan's Media Law, if he were alleged to have committed a media-related offence, he should have, been investigated first by the Media Violation Inquiry Commission rather than the Attorney General’s office.

As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Afghanistan is legally obliged to protect and respect the right to freedom of expression. The arbitrary arrest of Nasto Naderi for peacefully expressing his views clearly violates these obligations

Please write immediately in English, Dari, Pashto or your own language:

Expressing concern that Nasto Naderi has been arbitrary detained since 21 April without charge or access to legal assistance;
Calling on the authorities to respect freedom of expression and to release Nasto Naderi immediately, unless he is charged with an internationally recognisable offence and remanded by and independent court.
Calling on them to order an independent investigation into possible abuse of power by the Attorney General in connection with Nasto Naderi's arrest and detention;
Urging them to respect and protect the right to freedom of expression, which has seen significant improvements since the fall of the Taleban regime.

P LEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 11 JUNE 2012 TO :

President
H.E. Hamid Karzai
Office of the President
Gulkhana Palace
Pashtunistan Square
Kabul, Afghanistan
Email: hussain.rahimi@gmail.com
Salutation: Your Excellence
Minister of Information and Culture
Sayed Makhdum Raheen
Ministry of Information and Culture
Pul-e- Bagh Ommomi
Office of the Minister
Kabul, Afghanistan

Email: Z.nawabi2007@gmail.com

Salutation: Dear Minister

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.

URGENT ACTION

JOURNALIST DETAINED, RISKS TORTURE OR DEATH

ADditional Information

Despite the advances of freedom of expression since the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001, journalists still face violence, intimidation and fatal attacks for exercising their right to freedom of expression.

Journalists have been arbitrarily arrested, abducted, kidnapped, beaten or killed in politically motivated attacks by state forces and insurgent groups. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) and the Ulema Council (Council of Religious Scholars) have often brought criminal proceedings against journalists and others for writing or talking about matters deemed a threat to national security, or "blasphemous".

In areas controlled by the Taleban and other armed groups, journalists have been actively prevented from reporting, and frequently subjected to physical attacks.

The government has failed to fully investigate and prosecute perpetrators of attacks on journalists, human rights defenders and others peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression.

Hojatullah Mujadedi, director of Kapisa FM radio, based in north-east Kabul, was held in NDS detention centre in Kabul for four months, accused of acting as an accomplice to the Taleban. He was released on 18 January 2011. Before his arrest, Hojatullah Mujadedi had apparently been threatened by both the governor and NDS officials. According to Reporters Without Borders, Mujadadi told them that he had been summoned several times for questioning by NDS officials and asked to fill out a “cooperation agreement form” and to provide information about his contacts.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA11/008/2012/en/4e5f1683-ac4a-4940-af95-cd72d342ba6e/asa110082012en.html