KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) reports that Taliban authorities have suspended the operations of 17 local radio and television stations in eastern Nangarhar province due to unpaid taxes.
In a statement on Monday, August 5, the AFJC stated that the Taliban Ministry of Telecommunication and Information warned the media outlets that their activities would remain suspended until they renew their licenses and pay their taxes.
According to the media watchdog, media outlets in Nangarhar are required to pay AFN 108,000 ($1,500) for frequency license renewal, along with an additional $25 in ancillary costs.
Meanwhile, the AFJC statement indicates that all media outlets in Afghanistan have outstanding debts, ranging from one year to over ten years.
AFJC quoted media outlets in Nangarhar as saying that their financial issues have worsened since the Taliban’s return to power. They relied heavily on commercial ads, which have drastically decreased, leaving them unable to pay these taxes.
The media watchdog expressed concern over the suspension of media outlets in Nangarhar, urging Taliban authorities to forgive their debts due to financial difficulties and allow the media outlets to resume operations.
Since the Taliban’s return, Afghanistan’s once-thriving free-press sector has nearly collapsed, with dozens of outlets closed or silenced under various accusations and hundreds of journalists and media professionals forced to flee the country.
In April of this year, the Taliban Ministry of Information and Culture suspended the broadcasts of two private television channels, ‘Noor’ and ‘Barya,’ in Kabul, citing violations of “journalistic principles and Islamic values.”
In a report in March, the Afghanistan Journalist’s Support Organization (AJSO), a German-based Afghan media watchdog, revealed that following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, only 13 out of 91 print newspapers, 68 out of 248 TV channels, and 211 out of 438 radio stations remain operational in the country.
According to the AJSO report, the remaining outlets either relocated outside the country or shut down due to Taliban restrictions or financial challenges.
Media outlets operating in exile also face restrictions in obtaining information, as Taliban authorities refrain from interacting with them and responding to their requests for information.
Earlier in May, the Taliban Ministry of Information and Culture warned Afghan journalists and experts against working with Afghanistan International, a London-based media outlet, accusing it of violating professional standards and crossing moral and legal boundaries.
Over the past three years, the Taliban have also detained dozens of journalists, media workers, and YouTubers as part of a systematic effort to pressure them to align with the regime’s broadcasting policies.
In its recent report released last month, AFJC documented at least 89 cases of violence against journalists and media workers by the Taliban since January, including 60 threats and 29 arrests.
The report highlights increased pressure on private and independent media from Taliban authorities, particularly the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) and the Ministry of Virtue and Vice, which are closely monitoring media content and interfering in the operations of local media outlets.
