Afghanistan Journalist’s Center: Order to stop political programs is suppression and silencing of the media

Jumhuri Mudara: The Afghanistan Journalist’s Center has condemned the recent order by the Taliban to halt political and economic programs in the media.

In a statement released yesterday (Friday, February 14), the organization described the Taliban’s directive as an act of suppression and an effort to silence media activists in Afghanistan.

The statement asserts that by banning the broadcasting of political and economic programs, the Taliban has further suppressed the remaining critical voices.

The Center expressed concerns over the Taliban’s new order, calling it another step toward restricting media activists in Afghanistan.

According to the statement, the Taliban’s ministry of information and culture has instructed domestic media outlets to stop producing and broadcasting political and economic programs.

Under this directive, media organizations are only allowed to interview the spokesperson of Taliban institutions on political and economic matters, not other individuals.

Earlier, repots indicated that the Taliban had suspended the broadcasting of political programs until further notice.

The Afghanistan Journalist’s Center stated that, over the past three and half years of Taliban rule, the group has issued 23 directives related to media activists, imposing various restrictions on Journalists and media operations in Afghanistan.

This comes after the Taliban‘s ministry of culture had previously banned live broadcasts by domestic television channels.

The Afghanistan journalist’s center has described the Taliban’s new plan to prevent the airing of political and economic programs as a “continuation of media suppression policies”.

The Center further stated that the Taliban’s ministry of information and culture issued this order due to dissatisfaction with full implementation of pervious directives by media organizations.