Afghanistan International: Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada attempted to block the use of smartphones in Afghanistan before ordering the shutdown of wireless internet, sources told Afghanistan International. According to the sources, about a year ago in Kandahar, Akhundzada asked the Taliban’s council of clerics to find a “religious justification” for banning smartphones. The aim, they
Amu: Internet services provided by Afghan Telecom, the state-owned operator, were cut in Kandahar province on Tuesday afternoon, local sources told Amu TV. The disruption comes days after Afghan Telecom’s fiber-optic services were shut down in Balkh province in northern Afghanistan. Taliban officials there confirmed the blackout, saying it was ordered by the Taliban’s supreme
Amu: The Taliban’s provincial police chief in Kunar has threatened local journalists, warning them not to report on complaints from survivors of a recent earthquake, according to several people familiar with the matter. Zia-ul-Haq Hamed, the Taliban’s police commander in Kunar, told reporters in a meeting that they must avoid publishing stories that present what
Afghanistan International: The Taliban has detained the editor-in-chief of Tawana news agency on charges of receiving foreign funding and publishing material critical of the regime, according to statement by the group’s Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The Taliban alleges that the editor accepted financial support from the United Nations Assistance Mission
8am: Some journalists working in media outlets controlled by the Taliban have complained about discriminatory treatment toward the Persian language. They state that some media managers, driven by a desire to curry favor with the Taliban and linguistic biases, have used the group’s name to justify efforts to eliminate Persian words. These journalists highlight instances
Afghanistan International: In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, 10 July, UNAMA warned that the policy, which requires prior approval of programme content and guest speakers by Taliban authorities, risks fostering fear and self-censorship among Afghan journalists and media outlets. Under the new rules, media outlets must seek prior approval from the
Afghanistan International: Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, censored parts of an audio recording of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s Eid speech at the Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar. Notably, Akhundzada’s voice was cut off at the moment he began criticising the widespread influence of the media among the public. The censorship of Akhundzada’s speech prompted sharp reactions
Afghanistan International: The Taliban have detained three journalists in Takhar province, with local sources alleging they were subjected to torture while in custody. The detainees include Sayed Munir Hadaf, director of Tasweer Weekly and head of the National Journalists’ Union of Takhar; Asadullah Timur, a local reporter; and Nasratullah Ebrahimi, a journalist with Ariana News.
Khaama: On Saturday, May 3, World Press Freedom Day arrives amid mounting concerns over the deteriorating state of media freedom in Afghanistan. Under Taliban rule, the country’s once-vibrant press landscape continues to shrink under severe censorship and repression. Click here to read more (external link). More Afghanistan ranks 175th out of 180 countries in press
Amu: Taliban on Tuesday suspended the operations of Rah-e-Farda Television, a private broadcaster based in Kabul over “staff complaints” and “unpaid salaries.” In a statement, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture cited “repeated complaints” from journalists and employees about years of unpaid salaries and benefits as the reason for the suspension. Founded in 2006