The Taliban Warn Journalists And Experts Against Cooperating With Afghanistan International TV

Afghanistan’s KABUL —On Thursday, the Taliban warned academics and journalists not to collaborate with Afghanistan International TV, claiming that doing so would be illegal. They have never before advised people not to work with a certain channel.

Afghanistan International TV can be accessed via social media, cable, and satellite. Its headquarters are located in London.

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The Taliban Warn Journalists And Experts Against Cooperating With Afghanistan International TV

A representative for the Ministry of Information and Culture, which is under the control of the Taliban, claimed that the station was going beyond the law and moral and professional standards.

Ministry spokesman Habib Ghofran stated that the Media Violations Commission requested that all journalists and experts in Afghanistan stop working with the station.

“It was decided at the commission meeting yesterday (Wednesday) that it is not permitted to participate in discussions or facilitate the broadcast of this media outlet in public places,” Ghofran continued.

Zia ul Haq Haqmal, the deputy minister of broadcasting, claimed cooperating with the station would be criminal activity.

He listed ten reasons—the purported information manipulation, falsification, and opposition to the government—why one should not collaborate with Afghanistan International TV.

According to Haqmal, it is the responsibility of the court to punish someone who refuses to comply for any of the ten reasons listed above.

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The Taliban Warn Journalists And Experts Against Cooperating With Afghanistan International TV

Harun Najafizada, the director of Afghanistan International TV, stated that the channel had no employees or independent contractors in the nation, so the commission’s ruling would not impact it.

Najafizada stated, “We rely on the reporting of Afghan citizens and don’t have anyone on the ground.” That is a greater challenge, but our verification is rigorous. It puts pressure on us to compromise our professional standards and poses a threat to other media outlets and free media. It is not going to succeed.

Afghanistan performs appallingly in terms of journalistic freedom. In Reporters Without Borders’ most recent index, the nation was ranked 178 out of 180. Last year, it was rated 152.

According to the group, three radio journalists were detained in April for playing music during shows and answering calls from female listeners. Local authorities could not confirm the arrests.

The Taliban suspended two TV stations earlier this month for failing to “consider national and Islamic values.”

The director of Barya TV, one of the stations shut down, refuted the Taliban’s claims. The radio station remains down.

According to Latif Sadiq, the station was not notified of the suspension. On Thursday, Sadiq declared, “The reports that they repeatedly warned (Barya) are absolute lies.” “They said the case will go to court and decided on their own that (Barya) television is off, broadcasting is off.”

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The Taliban Warn Journalists And Experts Against Cooperating With Afghanistan International TV

Following the Taliban takeover in 2021, several journalists lost their employment as media institutions closed due to financial difficulties or employee departure. Travel limitations and prohibitions on work present extra challenges for women journalists.

The majority of radio, television, and newspapers were outlawed by the Taliban in the late 1990s when they were in power.

SOURCE – (AP)