A group of 10 to 15 Taliban members “forcibly” entered the local office of Hamesha Bahar Radio and TV network in Nangarhar province on Monday afternoon, as confirmed by employees of the media outlet on Tuesday.
According to Atta Khan Stanekzai, the head of Hamesha Bahar Radio and TV network in Nangarhar, the Taliban members “verbally abused” employees and attendees of a journalism class, which included women. The incident raised concerns about the safety and rights of media workers and female participants in such educational programs.
Stanekzai stated that the Taliban used “inappropriate language” and “disparaging” remarks towards the attendees, referring to the training of women alongside men in the class as an act encouraging “prostitution.”
Yasamin Sahar, one of the employees who was present in the class during the incident, expressed her disappointment and stated that some female employees did not return to the office on Tuesday. She highlighted that this was not the first time the media outlet had faced such treatment and stressed the importance of the journalism class in serving the community.
It was revealed that the office of Hamesha Bahar TV had previously been “attacked” by the Taliban in Jalalabad city about two months ago, leading to inappropriate treatment of the organization’s employees.
Hamesha Bahar Radio and TV network has been operating in Nangarhar for nearly 12 years, playing a significant role in disseminating information through its broadcasts. Additionally, the organization has been organizing journalism classes for the youth, aiming to foster knowledge and skills in the field of journalism.
This incident has raised concerns about the challenges faced by media outlets and educational initiatives in areas under Taliban control, further highlighting the critical issue of ensuring the safety and rights of media professionals and students in Afghanistan.
