RASC News Agency: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has revealed in a recent statement that the Taliban have forcibly closed down at least 12 public and private media outlets in Afghanistan during 2024. The statement described these closures as alarming, noting that many were carried out arbitrarily without due process. On Thursday, December 19, RSF reported that, in their latest crackdown on press freedom, the Taliban raided Arezo Television, halting its operations and detaining several staff members.
The organization urged the Taliban to immediately release the detained journalists and uphold media laws. The head of RSF’s South Asia unit criticized the Taliban’s “ideological and repressive” approach toward the media in Afghanistan, highlighting that these actions have intensified over recent months. This escalation, the official noted, has led to the systematic shutdown of media outlets, one after another. According to RSF, the Taliban have not only imposed severe restrictions on media organizations but have also frequently detained and threatened journalists. These actions, the organization said, have created an increasingly hostile environment for media professionals.
RSF further stated that these restrictions have worsened following the enactment of the Taliban’s “Commanding Right and Forbidding Wrong” law. The statement pointed out that some local media outlets, initially shuttered by the Taliban for broadcasting music or displaying images deemed inappropriate, were allowed to reopen only after pledging to cease airing such content. RSF condemned these measures as a direct assault on freedom of expression. The organization stressed that the Taliban’s imposition of draconian regulations on the media represents a severe threat to press freedom, calling the situation deeply concerning for Afghanistan’s already fragile information landscape.
