RASC News Agency: The Afghanistan Journalists Center reports that three weeks after the forced closure of the private radio stations Begum and Jawanan in Kabul, these media outlets remain shuttered, and their detained journalists have yet to be released. This comes despite the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture announcing on Saturday that it had authorized their reopening. In a statement released on Sunday, the Afghanistan Journalists Center denounced the conditional reopening of these stations, the continued detention of journalists, and the imposition of requirements exceeding the framework of media law. Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture stated in a communique that the reopening of these radio stations is contingent upon their adherence to Taliban directives, journalistic principles, and a commitment to avoiding future violations.
However, citing sources in Kabul, the Afghanistan Journalists Center confirmed that the offices of these media outlets remain closed and that the two detained journalists have yet to be freed. The office of Radio Begum was forcibly shut down on February 5 by Taliban intelligence forces, acting in direct coordination with the Ministry of Information and Culture. The ministry justified the move by citing multiple alleged violations, including the production of content for a television network based abroad. On the same day, the office of Radio Jawanan, which operated from the same building as Radio Begum, was also sealed.
During the raid, Taliban intelligence agents not only interrogated employees but also confiscated media equipment, including computers, hard drives, and official documents, while arresting two journalists. Radio Begum, established on March 8, 2021 coinciding with International Women’s Day and just five months before the Taliban’s return to power operated as a private media entity. Meanwhile, Radio Jawanan, founded in 2011, has positioned itself as a platform for fostering civic awareness and encouraging public discourse.
Despite Taliban assurances, the Afghanistan Journalists Center has strongly asserted that conditioning the operation of these media outlets on compliance with obligations beyond the country’s established media laws constitutes a direct violation of press freedom. The organization has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained journalists.
