~ 11 ~ International Journal of Advanced Mass Communication and Journalism 2020; 1(2): 11-14 E-ISSN: 2708-4469 P-ISSN: 2708-4450 IJAMCJ 2020; 1(2): 11-14 © 2020 IJAMCJ www.masscomjournal.com Received: 05-05-2020 Accepted: 09-06-2020 Sabghatullah Ghorzang Kandahar University Journalism and Public Relation Faculty, Kandahar, Afghanistan Correspondence Sabghatullah Ghorzang Kandahar University Journalism and Public Relation Faculty, Kandahar, Afghanistan History of freedom of press and current barriers in Afghanistan Sabghatullah Ghorzang Abstract Christopher Dodd argues that, when the public's right to know is threatened, and when the rights of free speech and free press are at risk, all of the other liberties we hold dear are endangered. Freedom of the Press is a fundamental right, which guarantees social rights too. Access to information is also a basic social right that can be achieved through Freedom of the Press in any state and society. If the state does not have freedom of the press, it will be difficult to ensure the protection of human rights. Afghanistan is one of the states which have been under a long-time war, and the warring parties do not care about human rights. The Freedom of the Press in the country had been under threat and working for the country's Press seems to carry a deadly risk. In this context, the core purpose of this study is to explore the history of Freedom of the Press during various political regimes that ruled contemporary Afghanistan. This paper highlights various phases of Press Freedom in Afghanistan, which has been limited and restricted as journalists in this country operate in one of the world's most complex, hostile, and contested information environments. If there was Freedom of Press, it was partial freedom or of limited period. For instance, media houses, including the publication of newspapers and broadcasting radio and TV during the Taliban regime of 1996, were banned except the Voice of Sharia Radio, which broadcast only religious speeches of Taliban leadership. Besides, research work reveals that only the regime of King Zahir Shah from 1963 to 73 ensured Press Freedom in Afghanistan that paved the way for democratic values to flourish in the country. More specifically, this study presents a comparison of Freedom of Press in Afghanistan, which has seen partial or limited. This limited Press Freedom impacted society negatively and derailed the democratic values in the state of Afghanistan. The study suggests the creation of a legal mechanism to improve access to information and ensure media independence for the development of Afghanistan. Keywords: Freedom of press, current barriers, Afghanistan, press law Introduction Freedom of the press is the right to circulate opinions in print without censorship by the government. Freedom of press the liberty to print or to otherwise spread out information, as in print, by broadcasting, or through electronic media, without prior restraints such as licensing requirements or content review and without subsequent punishment for what is said. Freedom of the press, which has been limited not only by governments but at times by churches, religious groups, and cultural aspects. (Gulsameen, 1989) [12] . In modern democracies, it is rarely attacked by overt forms of censorship but is often compromised by governments' ability to withhold information, by self-censorship in reaction to various pressures, by selective government leaking of information or disinformation, and by other factors. Although, there's a key difference between freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Freedom of speech means that you can express your opinions without being punished. Freedom of the press is about distribution you can publish and disseminate news and opinions without fear of intervention and retaliation. (Desai, January 1, 2013) [13] . However, Press in Afghanistan was started in a real sense after the formation of a new Afghanistan, which the first publication was Shamsul Nehar (known as a sunny day) in 1873 during the period of Shir Ali Khan (King of Afghanistan). Freedom of the press in Afghanistan was guaranteed in the first constitution of Afghanistan in 1923s the period of