RASC News Agency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called upon the Taliban to halt the “unprecedented destruction of Afghanistan media and the brutal suppression of journalists.” In a statement released on Wednesday, August 14, marking the third anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, CPJ emphasized that the Taliban have driven the few remaining media outlets in the country to the brink of collapse.
This international organization, which advocates for the rights of journalists, reported that within the past year alone, 16 Afghanistani and foreign journalists have been detained by the Taliban. According to CPJ, the Taliban have also shut down four radio and television stations, banned one media outlet, and suspended the licenses of 14 others. The CPJ further revealed that at least one of the detained journalists has been subjected to severe physical abuse by the Taliban.
Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator, stated, “The Taliban’s egregious injustices epitomize their rule. Their ruthless crackdown has driven the few remaining media outlets in Afghanistan to the edge of oblivion.” She further urged the international community to expedite the resettlement process for Afghanistani journalists. The CPJ also highlighted that the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s participation in media have created a “hostile” environment, forcing hundreds of Afghanistani journalists to seek refuge in neighboring countries.
The statement additionally noted that the Taliban’s Intelligence Directorate and the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice have been at the forefront of media headlines throughout the year. This statement follows similar concerns raised by Reporters Without Borders and the Afghanistan Journalists Center, both of which have expressed grave alarm over the worsening conditions for journalists and media under Taliban rule.
