By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi August 16, 2023 International press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the release of nine Afghan journalists arbitrarily arrested by Taliban security forces this month. Antoine Bernard, RSF’s director of advocacy and assistance, said on August 16 that RSF wants the “unconditional release” of all nine Afghan journalists. “The
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi August 14, 2023 Two more journalists have been arrested by Taliban authorities in southern Afghanistan, where women’s voices were also barred from radio broadcasts. A source who requested anonymity told RFE/RL that Taliban forces arrested journalists Attaullah Omar and Waheedur Rahman Afghanmal in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar on August 13. Omar is
Ayaz Gul VOA News August 12, 2023 ISLAMABAD — Media freedom defenders have called on Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to immediately release at least nine journalists currently in prison for their work and stop their “brutal” crackdown on national press members. Operatives of the Taliban’s spy agency, the General Directorate of Intelligence, or GDI, arrested five journalists
The Hill: Almost two years after American soldiers swiftly packed and left the nation’s longest-running war in Afghanistan, the Taliban are still targeting tens of thousands of Afghans left behind. Among them are Afghan women journalists. The United States recognized the risks Afghanistan’s female journalists would face under a Taliban takeover. Click here to read
8am: According to anonymous local sources, who spoke to Hasht-e Subh, the incident occurred on Tuesday, August 1st, when Taliban members attacked the media outlet and expelled its staff before shutting down the office. Meanwhile, Atal Khan Stanikzai, the director of the media outlet, stated that the Taliban attacked the office without any prior coordination.
8am: According to the sources cited by Hasht-e Subh, the journalists were detained on Monday, July 31, in Mazar-e-Sharif, the center of Balkh province. Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have been severely interfering with the media and journalists, occasionally resorting to arrests, beatings, and imprisonment. This incident follows the detention of a local
Akmal Dawi VOA News July 27, 2023 WASHINGTON — Journalists in Afghanistan are facing a new requirement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture to register and obtain identification cards in order to verify their identities and professional affiliations. “We started the process in Kabul on Wednesday and have informed provincial authorities to do the
Tolo News: The head of the media organizations in the southeastern province of Khost voiced concerns that they have been struggling with a shortage of content because their publications must meet Islamic Emirate [Taliban] policies. The officials said that it is difficult to prepare their content rapidly in a way that also meets the demands
Roshan Noorzai VOA News May 10, 2023 WASHINGTON — The Taliban released four Afghan journalists on Wednesday after detaining them for two days in the southeastern province of Khost. Sakhi Sarwar Miakhil, editor in chief of Gharghasht TV; Pamir Andish, editor in chief of Cheenar Radio; Abdul Rahman Ashna of Nan FM, and Mohammaduddin Shah Khiali,
Khaama: On Wednesday, World Press Freedom Day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared that “the world must stand with journalists as they stand for the truth.” On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the Afghanistan Journalists Centre (AFJC) released a report on the deteriorating situation of the media in Afghanistan, noting that violence cases against