The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) confirmed that Taliban intelligence and morality police raided the Kabul office of Arezo Television on Wednesday, arresting seven staff members and closing the station.
In a statement, the AFJC reported that the Taliban sealed the office, posting a notice on the door accusing the station of broadcasting “immoral and vulgar programs.” The closure order is effective until further notice.
Raid and arrests
During the raid, Taliban officials reportedly detained several employees for hours of questioning. According to a source cited by the AFJC, one of the station’s security guards was assaulted, and the staff’s mobile phones were inspected.
“The inspection of the station and questioning of employees continued until 3 p.m.,” the source said. “Subsequently, seven staff members, including Amanullah Azimi, the Kabul office manager; Khalid Barakzai, a presenter; Amir Hussein Atryan, a producer and administrative manager; Zaheer, the production manager; and Sami, Haroon, and Baktash, production staff members, were arrested. The Taliban also confiscated office computers.”
The Taliban have not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.
Background on Arezo Television
Arezo Television was launched in Mazar-e-Sharif in September 2006 and expanded to Kabul in December 2009, where it operated a studio for news production, content creation, and dubbing. The station became known for airing wildlife documentaries and dubbed Turkish Islamic-themed dramas.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed strict restrictions on media, targeting broadcasters and journalists. The AFJC has highlighted escalating pressures on Afghanistan’s media industry, including censorship, intimidation, and arbitrary detentions.
Human rights organizations and press advocacy groups have repeatedly called on the Taliban to respect media freedom and protect journalists from persecution.
