KABUL — Two Kabul-based radio stations, Radio Begum and Radio Jawanan, have been allowed to resume operations 40 days after their closure, but under conditions imposed by the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, according to the Afghanistan Journalists Center.
However, the organization reported that two journalists from these outlets remain in Taliban custody with no sign of their release.
A source cited by the Afghanistan Journalists Center said the stations were permitted to resume broadcasting only if they adhere to Taliban-imposed principles and media guidelines.
Radio Jawanan, which was based in Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul, in a shared office with Radio Begum, was shut down on February 5, 2025.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture said Radio Begum was closed due to alleged policy violations, collaboration with a foreign-based TV station, and breaches of media regulations. Radio Jawanan was also shuttered following this decision, and two journalists were detained at the time.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center has called on the Taliban to release the detained journalists unconditionally. The organization emphasized that, under Afghanistan’s Mass Media Law, media outlets should be able to operate without threats or restrictions.
