Afghanistan Journalists Center: “12 TV Channels Are Banned Over the Past Year”

Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), on the occasion of “World Television Day,” reported that over the past year, at least 12 television stations have ceased operations either by direct orders from the interim government’s officials or due to restrictions imposed on their activities.

The organization also stated that restrictions on the operation of television networks in Afghanistan have increased to unprecedented levels. According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center’s report, despite the interim government’s implicit approval of Afghanistan’s media law and the announcement that the law would be ratified with new amendments, 21 instructions concerning media operations have been issued over the past three years. These instructions are often inconsistent with the media law. Seven of these directives specifically focus on limiting the freedom of visual media, while the rest apply to all forms of media.

The report further notes that while these directives prohibit certain actions by media outlets and journalists, they do not specify the consequences for violations. Despite this, findings from Afghanistan Journalists Center reveal that media executives and journalists who have defied these directives have faced threats, imprisonment, or punitive actions, including the suspension of media operations.

The findings show that out of the 12 television networks that were forced to stop operating in various provinces over the past year due to disregarding the issued directives, only one has resumed operations. Furthermore, the data indicate that at least 30 journalists and media workers have been arrested over the past three years, with seven still imprisoned.

On the occasion of World Television Day, the Afghanistan Journalists Center called on the caretaker government to reconsider the issued directives, which have led to the closure of numerous media outlets, particularly television stations, and restricted media activities. It urged the government to respect and support media freedom and the work of journalists in accordance with Afghanistan’s media law.

The organization also called on the international community to support media freedom, particularly the activities of television stations.

World Television Day is observed annually on November 21. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996 to encourage the exchange of television programs, especially those aimed at promoting peace, social and economic development, and strengthening the cultural values of society.