RASC News Agency: In response to the Taliban’s imposition of media restrictions, the U.S. State Department has identified Afghanistan as one of the most repressive countries in the world for press freedom in the region. The State Department noted that Afghanistan, once lauded as a beacon of press freedom in the region, has now become one of the most restrictive environments for journalists and media personnel.
A spokesperson for the State Department emphasized that Afghanistan’s transformation from having a leading record in press freedom to becoming one of the worst is a significant blow. According to the department, Afghanistani citizens are enduring the brunt of this “regression and decline.” Recently, the Taliban has sought to disrupt the broadcasts of several satellite media outlets through extensive jamming.
This action by the Taliban has elicited criticism from media advocacy organizations, with many condemning the Taliban’s efforts to impose restrictions on the media. These criticisms regarding media freedom and other issues in Afghanistan arise at a time when the global community is not only observing the Taliban’s authoritarian practices but also when the majority of the world’s intelligence agencies, including the U.S. government, are providing substantial financial aid to the group.
National and international observers argue that without U.S. financial and political support, the Taliban’s government would likely not have persisted even for a month in Afghanistan. The U.S. not only provides financial support to the Taliban but also prevents armed opposition groups from taking military action against it.
