In recent days, the Taliban authorities have imposed further restrictions on the media in Afghanistan. Despite the suffocating atmosphere and intense surveillance by the regime, media outlets in the country continue their efforts to inform the public and make use of any remaining space for journalism. However, even with utmost caution and adherence to neutrality, Afghan media continue to face severe censorship and restrictions from the Taliban.
The order to suspend the broadcasting of Shamshad TV programs—a network that has operated in Afghanistan for many years and is considered one of the country’s reputable media outlets—serves as a clear example of such censorship and suppression targeting the media community.
The Human Rights Defenders Plus – HRD+ condemns this unjust and oppressive decision in the strongest possible terms, describing it as a reprehensible act against freedom of expression, media freedom, and human rights as a whole.
HRD+ calls on all civil society organizations, media institutions, political groups, and intellectuals inside and outside Afghanistan to mobilize in defense of media freedom and the protection of citizens’ rights, and to engage in advocacy both nationally and internationally.
Furthermore, HRD+ urgently calls upon all international human rights monitoring bodies, global institutions working for human rights, and the UN Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and on freedom of expression to take the necessary actions to support and protect freedom of expression in Afghanistan.