The private radio station “Zhman” in Khost province, which had been shut down five days ago by the Taliban for broadcasting music, was allowed to resume operations after a pledge made by its officials to comply with the Taliban’s directives, said the the Afghanistan Journalists Center.
In a statement, the Afghanistan Journalists Center described the shutdown as a “clear violation” of media freedom and stressed that such measures should not have been taken.
The organization urged the Taliban to respect the professional rights of the media and to allow them to operate within the framework of national media laws.
Sources cited by the center confirmed that the Zamaneh office was reopened around 2 p.m. on Monday, November 11.
The station had initially been closed on November 6 by officials from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
The suspension was reportedly due to the use of background music in a morning program addressing local social issues.
Over the past three years, the Taliban has imposed numerous restrictions on media operations in Afghanistan. Reports from journalist rights organizations indicate that at least 140 journalists and media workers have been detained during this period.
