OME is closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and has been in direct contact with journalists and activists to determine how best to assist. We are moving towards assisting these journalists and activists, whether they be in Afghanistan or the diaspora.
Unfortunately, the Taliban is quickly proving that earlier promises to allow Afghanistan’s independent media to continue operating freely and safely are worthless. Shows were removed from the airwaves. A television station had to cut out from a news report a story about a pregnant police officer who was reportedly fatally shot by the Taliban. A radio editor told his colleagues to edit out anti-Taliban cheers from coverage of demonstrations in the capital. Tolo News, the country’s largest broadcaster, halted the production of Shabake Khanda or “Laughing Network”; a popular political comedy show watched by millions of Afghans on Friday nights.
The Chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the acting deputy of information and culture minister has repeatedly said in recent days that media were free to report; “We will respect freedom of the press because media reporting will be useful to society and will be able to help correct the leaders’ errors.”
That said, we urge the Taliban to live up to those earlier promises, to stop beating and detaining reporters doing their job. These journalists are not propaganda amplifiers rather the protectorate of civil discourse and informed society.
