Gunmen destroy radio station’s equipment in night-time attack

Reporters Without Borders condemns a night-time attack by eight gunmen on Radio Paiman in the northeastern city of Baghlan on 31 January and calls on the local police to carry out an exhaustive investigation with the aim of identifying those responsible. The assailants beat and gagged the guard and then destroyed all the equipment. No journalist was injured. “Attacks on journalists have increased since the start of the year, which makes their work particularly difficult in this region,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Armed Islamist groups are the main predators of free expression in Afghanistan but we have been told that local police officers have also been involved in cases of violence against the media.” Radio Paiman director Shir Mohammad Jahesh said he had moved the radio station closer to the police station after receiving Taliban telephone threats. Nonetheless, the police took too long to get to the radio station on the night of the attack to be able to catch the assailants. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which has been condemned by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as a violation of freedom of expression. Under its mandate to help independent media, Reporters Without Borders will provide financial assistance to Radio Paiman’s staff so that they can resume broadcasting as soon as possible.