KABUL, Afghanistan — Roza Otunbayeva, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), marked World Radio Day by emphasizing the crucial role of radio as a news source in Afghanistan. During her visit to Kabul’s Killid and Mursal radio stations, Otunbayeva stressed the medium’s importance.
“Radio has been a source of news, education, and public dialogue in Afghanistan for nearly a century. It’s difficult to imagine a world without radio,” Otunbayeva said, as quoted on UNAMA’s X page.
UNAMA noted that there are currently 150 radio channels operating in Afghanistan.
She said that UNAMA and the UN family “stand behind the Afghan people’s right to information and freedom of speech”.
Following the Taliban’s return to power, strict restrictions have been imposed on freedom of speech and media activities in the country, leading to the shutdown of dozens of radio and television stations across Afghanistan.