KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN has called on the Taliban to end the arbitrary detention of journalists and media workers in Afghanistan, warning that press freedom in the country is under severe threat.
The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett have urged the Taliban to allow journalists to operate freely following the suspension of Radio Begum and the detention of two of its employees.
“Intimidation and arbitrary arrest of journalists and media workers has devastated civic space in Afghanistan,” Bennett wrote on X, calling for the immediate release of the detained employees.
UNAMA also demanded their immediate and unconditional release, raising concerns over their unknown whereabouts.
Radio Begum confirmed on Wednesday that the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, accompanied by the regime’s intelligence agents, raided the station, confiscated equipment, and detained two employees who, according to the station, had no managerial role.
The Taliban accused the media outlet of violating media policies and producing content for a television channel based outside Afghanistan.
Radio Begum, established in 2021 and staffed entirely by women, broadcasts educational programs for women and girls in Kabul and several neighboring provinces.
Earlier, the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) condemned the suspension of Radio Begum, calling it “a continuation of the Taliban’s policy to suppress free media.” The watchdog urged the Taliban to reconsider their decision and allow the station to resume operations.
Afghanistan’s media landscape has faced mounting restrictions since the Taliban’s return to power. At least 22 directives have been issued, severely limiting press freedom and access to information. The regime has also arrested, tortured, and in some cases, killed dozens of journalists and media workers.
The Taliban’s crackdown has led to the closure of more than half of Afghanistan’s media outlets, including state-run TV stations. The Afghanistan Journalists’ Support Organization (AJSO), reported last year that only 13 of the country’s 91 print newspapers, 68 of 248 TV channels, and 211 of 438 radio stations are still operating. The rest have either shut down or moved abroad.
