The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Taliban authorities are escalating their crackdown on Afghanistan’s remaining independent media, shutting down outlets, raiding television stations and detaining journalists and media officials, the Afghanistan Media Support Organization said.
In its strongest condemnation of the latest restrictions,
AMSO said the actions mark another phase in the systematic suppression of
independent journalism and freedom of expression in Afghanistan.
The organization said Taliban intelligence authorities
recently raided Rah-e-Farda TV, suspended its operations and took the station’s
license holder, Salman Akhlaqi, to an undisclosed location.
At the same time, the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice
suspended Eslah Ghag Radio, citing issues with its license and name, and sealed
and locked the outlet’s offices, AMSO said.
The latest actions come as Afghanistan’s independent media
faces mounting pressure under Taliban rule. AMSO warned that detaining
journalists and closing media organizations would further weaken the country’s
already shrinking space for independent reporting.
“Detaining journalists and shutting down media organizations
will never prevent the truth from reaching the public,” the organization said.
AMSO called for Akhlaqi’s immediate and unconditional
release and demanded that authorities lift restrictions on Rah-e-Farda TV and
Eslah Ghag Radio and return their offices to their staff.
The organization also pointed to the case of Tamaddon TV,
which it said had been forced to resume broadcasting through social media platforms
after months of suspension and continued pressure.
AMSO urged the United Nations, the Committee to Protect
Journalists, Reporters Without Borders and other international and human rights
organizations to intensify political and legal pressure on the Taliban.
Without stronger international action, AMSO warned,
Afghanistan’s remaining independent media outlets could be pushed out of
operation.
“The voices of Afghan journalists and professional media
will never be silenced through censorship, detention or restrictions,” the
organization said.
