No more talk shows

The Taliban has ordered domestic media outlets across Afghanistan to stop airing roundtable discussions. The announcement came this week when the Taliban ministry of information and culture instructed TV stations in Kabul to stop producing and airing political and economic discussions. This is also ordered that media outlets can only interview Taliban officials and spokespersons.

Under the new law, no exports can longer appear in the media to discuss or analyze the current political and economic situation of the country. Moreover, the order also warned tv stations managers against broadcasting content that could challenge Taliban policies.

The Afghanistan Journalist Center (AFJC) has condemned Taliban’s new order on barring media outlets from airing political and economic decisions, adding that the order was also communicated verbally to several tv networks in Kabul, the capital city.

AFJC in a statement had voiced profound concern following an order prohibiting television stations in Kabul from airing any political or economic discussions, and the AFJC deems it a blatant attempt to enforce a “one-voice policy” and suppress the few remaining critical voices in Afghanistan.

“Subsequent reports from television journalists confirm that this order extends to economic discussions challenging the Taliban government, effectively coercing private and independent stations into compliance. The television stations in Kabul were informed that, if necessary, they could only consult with Taliban spokespeople,” it added.

According to the AFJC sources, the Ministry of Information and Culture has indicated that the specifics regarding the implementation of this directive will be determined by Monday, February 17.

As of now, there has been no official comment from the Taliban regarding the nature of this order, including whether it is intended to be temporary or permanent.

Taliban issued at least 23 media directives in the past three years.

Since the Taliban assumed power on August 15, 2021, the Taliban authorities have issued at least 23 media directives that have significantly curtailed press freedom in Afghanistan.

The most recent set of directives, issued on September 21, 2024, included an eight-point order  restricting live programs and mandating that media must only feature experts approved by the Ministry.

AFJC said that the Taliban authorities have expressed dissatisfaction with the implementation of previous orders, leading to the issuance of this new directive as an appendix.

Other experts believe that the ban on roundtable discussions is a new strategy to further stifle free media and dimmish the representation of critical perspectives.

A political expert from Kabul said that such a ban indicates the Taliban’s hardstand against the free media. “To be honest, experts on TV are talking about important issues and the government should be happy to watch them and pay attention to their analyses. We are like a free teacher providing information for the government and they should use it to improve the government’s daily activities. But now we are banned from appearing in the media,” he told Harici on condition of anonymity as he lives in Kabul. He said that the Taliban should uphold the fundamental right to freedom of expression, which is not only a legal obligation but also a principle respected within the context of the Islamic teachings.

Taliban also banned the operation of Begum, a well-known women’s radio station

He furthered that the Taliban should revoke the “unlawful directives” and allow the Afghan media to operate under the country’s existing media laws.  ince October 13, 2024, the Taliban also banned television operations and the filming and photographing of people in public spaces in Takhar province. 

In another move, the Taliban raided a well-known women’s radio station (Begum) at the beginning of this month, and arrested two employees.

Begum in a statement said that officers from the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) with the help of representatives from the Ministry of Information and Culture raided the radio compound in Kabul.   

The officers also searched all rooms across the office and seized computers, hard drivers and phones, and detained two male employees, according to the statement.

The radio manager says that radio Begum had not been involved in any political activity and was committed to serve the people in the most proper way, especially providing contents for the Afghan women.