UPDATE ON FALLOUT BETWEEN TOLO TV AND AG

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001397 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG NSC FOR HARRIMAN OSD FOR SHIVERS CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-82 POLAD SENSITIVE, SIPDIS E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM AF SUBJECT: UPDATE ON FALLOUT BETWEEN TOLO TV AND AG SABIT REFTEL: KABUL 1332 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) In the week since the fallout between Tolo TV and Attorney General Sabit, multiple protests have been organized in support of both Tolo TV officials and the Attorney General. Reactions in the local press appear to be more balanced than those in the international media, and while the issue is still holding media attention, it does not appear to be escalating. On April 23, the Ministry of Information and Culture asked Tolo TV to apologize to the Attorney General Sabit for airing his comments in a way that could easily be misinterpreted. Tolo has rejected the request, instead filing a complaint with the Supreme Court and stating that if the Supreme Court also rules in AG Sabit's favor, only then will Tolo apologize. END SUMMARY. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION CALLS FOR APOLOGY FROM TOLO -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) On April 23, the Ministry of Information and Culture called on Tolo TV to issue an apology to Sabit for airing his comments in a way that could be misinterpreted by the public. In a phone conversation with the Embassy on April 24, Tolo officials confirmed that they had refused to honor the request. Tolo announced that it was taking the matter to the Supreme Court, with which it filed a formal complaint on April 18, and would only apologize if so ordered by the Court. ¶3. (U) On April 24, officials at the Ministry of Information and Culture confirmed to the Embassy that the matter had been reviewed by the Commission on Media Complaints and Violations, mandated by the current version of the Media Law (2005). The commission is chaired by Minister of Information and Culture Khoram and also includes representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC),several private journalists, and the School of Journalism at Kabul University. Note: According the AIHRC, its representatives were not contacted to participate in this review. End note. PROTESTS: "MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS" -------------- ¶4. (U) Protestors have organized, or more likely been organized, in favor of both Tolo TV and the Attorney General over the past week. On April 18, over one hundred demonstrators gathered in front of Parliament to protest Sabit's actions. (Note: The protests shut down Parliament Road and further postponed Parliament's debate of the Media Law scheduled for that day. End note.) In response, as early as April 19, pro-Sabit protests were organized in Kabul, Khost, Nangarhar and Laghman provinces, chanting slogans like "Long live Abdul Jabar Sabit and the Mujahideen" and "Down with Tolo TV," and in at least one case, even burning a mock-up of the Tolo TV insignia in the street. Estimated participants in each pro-Sabit rally ranged from 200-300 protestors. Media reports that protestors may have been coerced or paid cash to participate are unconfirmed. BALANCED STATEMENTS IN THE AFGHAN MEDIA -------------- ¶5. (U) While Afghan media coverage of the incident was initially very critical of the GOA, it appears to have grown more measured in recent days. On April 21, KABUL 00001397 002 OF 002 Afghanistan's Independent Journalist Association (AIJA) released a balanced statement that characterized the government's actions as "inappropriate" and "hasty," but also urged media outlets to "act responsibly and professionally." AIJA maintained that it would have been better for Sabit to bring the matter before the Commission on Media Complaints and Violations rather than summon the news staff and stated that journalists should "not be summoned for questioning by force." AIJA also demanded that "civil society institutions refrain from making issues complicated before they are investigated." ¶6. (U) The issue has even captured audiences during Friday sermons in Kabul mosques. According to media reports, Mawlawi Enayatollah Balegh, of the Pol-e- Kheshti Grand Mosque in Kabul told his congregation that the Attorney General's actions were "inappropriate," but also said it was not acceptable for Tolo to "use its position to humiliate the government, the nation, the political system, and our religion. All this is against the law, and there is no benefit in them." He noted that "humiliating people is against Shari'a Law," and reportedly asked media outlets to "pay serious attention to protecting Islam." He also urged Afghans to come to peace on this issue and to stop making statements in favor of one party or the other. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (U) After a week of heated protests, the recent shift to more balanced positions by journalists, government officials and religious leaders alike indicate that the issue is unlikely to escalate further, at least locally, absent any further provocation by Tolo or Sabit. While Mawlawi Balegh's calls for the media to act in accordance with Islam are not exactly on par with western standards of respect for freedom of the press, they do reflect most Afghans' opinions on where the line should be drawn between media freedom and local moral standards.