RASC News Agency: The Taliban has transformed the Farah branch of Afghanistan National Television into a radio station following the suspension of its broadcast operations. The Afghanistan’s Journalists Center reported that after the Taliban imposed a ban on the broadcast of live images in Farah, the National Television of Afghanistan in the province ceased its television operations and transitioned into a radio station. In a statement issued on Thursday, March 6, the center revealed that the social media accounts associated with the station now feature images of objects, buildings, and signage instead of live footage, in compliance with the Taliban’s restrictions. As a result, the station no longer broadcasts live images.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center highlighted that while the ban has not yet been enforced on private media outlets in Farah, some local Taliban officials in the province have refused to participate in video interviews. The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has instructed local Taliban officials not to engage in media interviews. Since this directive, there have been very few instances of the group consenting to video interviews. Additionally, the Taliban has mandated that television stations be converted into radio outlets. Following this order, several local television stations have shifted to radio broadcasting, while others have ceased operations altogether.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center expressed concern, stating that the Taliban is silencing the voices of the people and continuously imposing more restrictions on the media. The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has further clarified that visual media should transition to audio formats and has prohibited the publication of images depicting living beings. This action by the Taliban has sparked repeated condemnation from both the Afghanistani public and media advocacy organizations. Many have called on the Taliban to lift their media restrictions.
