KABUL — Arezo TV, a private media outlet, has resumed operations in Kabul after being forcibly shut down for 86 days following a raid by Taliban intelligence and the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) condemned the closure as a violation of press freedom. In a statement, the organization said the shutdown should never have occurred.
Basir Abid, the head of Arezo TV, told the AFJC that the station was allowed to reopen after receiving approval from the Taliban ministry. The official seal on the office was removed on Saturday in the presence of employees, he said.
Arezo TV was initially raided on December 4, when Taliban intelligence personnel and officials from the ministry stormed its office in Karte 3, Kabul. According to the AFJC, the staff was mistreated, electronic storage devices and computers were confiscated, and seven employees were arrested. The Taliban then sealed the office.
The Taliban defended the shutdown, claiming it was necessary to “preserve Islamic values, prevent media misuse, and strengthen social order.” The ministry alleged that an investigation had uncovered misuse of the station’s name and resources, accusing Arezo TV of employing “unofficial individuals” to produce and broadcast content that was “inconsistent with Islamic principles and Afghan traditions.” The Taliban also claimed the network aired programs funded by exiled media organizations.
The AFJC reported that the arrested employees were released from Pul-e-Charkhi prison on December 21 after signing written guarantees that they would not leave Kabul and would attend court hearings. However, Abid said the court later declared the employees innocent, and there were no obstacles to their return to work.
Arezo TV was established in September 2006 in Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh province, before expanding to Kabul in December 2009, where it launched a dedicated studio for news production, content creation, and dubbing.
