The Taliban has granted permission for a private television channel to resume operations after nearly three months of suspension, the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) said earlier this month. The body welcomed the decision and urged the Taliban to ensure that media outlets in Afghanistan can operate freely, without restrictions or threats.
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Women wearing burqas in Kabul, Afghanistan, May 7Women wearing burqas in Kabul, Afghanistan, May 7
Women wearing burqas in Kabul
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The AFJC, a nongovernmental organization advocating for press freedom, announced in a statement that the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice had granted permission to the privately owned Arezo TV channel to return to the air.
Arezo TV is an Afghan satellite television network primarily broadcasting in the Dari language. Launched in 2007 in northern Afghanistan’s Mazar-e-Sharif, the channel initially catered to a regional audience before expanding its reach nationwide. It also operates a radio station within the country.
On December 4, 2024, Arezo TV’s Kabul office was raided by Taliban intelligence and morality police. According to the AFJC, before the office was sealed, staff members were mistreated, electronic devices and computers were confiscated, and seven employees were arrested, in what it called a “clear violation” of independent media rights.
Two weeks later, on December 21, authorities freed the detained employees from the infamous Pul-e-Charkhi prison. The employees had to promise in writing to remain in Kabul and appear in court.
Now that the court has ruled not guilty, the workers face no barriers to resuming their jobs. Basir Abid, head of the channel’s Kabul office, told the AFJC that all employees were allowed to return to work without any conditions.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, told The Media Line that the station’s closure was necessary to “preserve Islamic values, prevent media misuse, and maintain social order.”
He claimed that an investigation revealed Arezo TV had misused its name and resources, employing “unofficial individuals” to produce and air content that allegedly violated Islamic principles and Afghan traditions.
An official from the Ministry of Information and Culture who asked to remain anonymous told The Media Line that Arezo TV was shut down because of “dubbing Indian ‘vulgar’ dramas and malicious contents from Iranian media based abroad into local languages.”
“The station’s management has now assured authorities that such contents will not be aired again and that future programming will focus on Afghan culture and Islamic values,” the official said.
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Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan late last weekTaliban fighters patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan late last week
Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul
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The AFJC voiced serious concerns over the growing restrictions on media operations, calling on the Taliban to uphold Afghanistan’s Media Law. As recognized by the Ministry of Information and Culture, this law affirms that media outlets have the right to operate freely without undue interference or threats.
Arezo TV is far from the only channel to be affected by the Taliban’s censorship. In early February, the Taliban suspended Radio Begum, Afghanistan’s only women-run radio station, accusing it of violating domestic broadcasting regulations and unlawfully distributing content to a foreign TV channel. Later that month, Afghan authorities announced the channel’s reinstatement.
Radio Begum began broadcasting on International Women’s Day in March 2021, just five months before the Taliban regained power. The channel’s content is produced entirely by Afghan women. The station’s sister channel, Begum TV, operates from France, airing educational programs for students in grades seven to 12.
Since the Taliban banned girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, many Afghan girls are now deprived of schooling.
In a conversation with The Media Line, Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that “there are no formal restrictions on media in the country.” He emphasized the importance of media outlets adhering to national interests and Islamic values and cautioned against the spread of unverified claims and rumors.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, press freedom in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly. The Taliban’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue enforces rigid content guidelines, banning reports deemed “against Islamic values” or critical of the regime. Foreign media access has also been restricted, further isolating Afghanistan’s press.
Afghanistan plunged to 178th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 World Press Freedom Index, a stark decline from its 152nd position in 2023.
Independent journalism has also become increasingly difficult under Taliban rule, as media outlets face strict censorship, intimidation, and financial hardship. Reporters who cover sensitive topics, including human rights abuses, women’s rights, or security issues, risk harassment, detention, or worse. Many journalists have been arrested, interrogated, or even physically assaulted for their work.
Several media companies have been shut down for failing to comply with Taliban-imposed restrictions, while others operate under constant fear, leading to widespread self-censorship.
The situation is especially dire for female journalists. The Taliban has barred adult women from education and severely restricted their participation in the workforce and public life. Female journalists have been systematically removed from their positions, with many attempting to flee the country.
Gulalai Zarmina, a former news director at a Persian-language channel, is now a refugee in a neighboring country, after being forced to flee with her family.
“Since the fall of Afghanistan, women and girls in the media have been silenced, confined to their homes,” Zarmina told The Media Line.
She endured such isolation in Afghanistan for two weeks before realizing that staying silent meant surrendering to censorship. Determined to return to work, she contacted her television station, but she was warned against returning—going back to work was simply too dangerous.
Zarmina, a fierce critic of the Taliban who spoke out against the group during Ashraf Ghani’s presidency, found herself a target after the government fell in 2021. When her brother informed her that Taliban intelligence was asking about her, she and her family felt they had no choice but to flee the country.
Reflecting on the state of journalism under Taliban rule, Zarmina painted a grim picture of an industry stripped of its independence.
Journalistic content, language, and even references to former Afghan officials are all tightly controlled, Zarmina said. “No one dares to speak against the Taliban,” she explained. “Guests refuse to appear on television out of fear, and even hosts tread cautiously, knowing a single misstep could have dire consequences.”
Arash Yaqin, a former UN adviser for the Afghan Foreign Ministry now based in Washington, told The Media Line that Afghanistan used to have substantial press freedom. “Before the Taliban’s return, the media fearlessly scrutinized those in power, from the president down to the lowest officials,” he said. “Now, that era of press freedom has vanished.”
While the Taliban’s core policies have remained largely unchanged since the 1990s, the group’s approach to media has shifted, Yaqin said. “They once enforced a near-total blackout, but now they exploit the media to shape narratives and influence young Afghans through jihadi propaganda,” he said.
With that in mind, the return to air of Afghanistan’s women-run radio station should be seen not as a concession but as “calculated tactic,” Yaqin said.
“While it projects an illusion of media freedom, strict control ensures it serves the Taliban’s agenda,” he explained. “It wouldn’t be surprising if soon Afghan women are heard praising the Taliban for ‘bringing peace’ and ‘ensuring their rights’—claims far removed from reality.”
Turning the women-owned radio station into a mouthpiece for the Taliban would also be financially beneficial to Afghanistan, since such stations are often funded by international donors, he continued.
Speaking from an undisclosed location, Afghan media rights activist Elaha Sekandary similarly told The Media Line that the Taliban’s decision to allow media stations to reopen “comes with conditions attached.”
“These outlets will now operate under the Taliban’s strict guidelines, ensuring their content aligns with the regime’s policies,” she said. By exerting control over media under the pretext of aligning it with Islamic regulations, the Taliban seek to present itself as media-friendly while maintaining strict oversight, she explained.
She noted that the Taliban is keenly aware of shifting global politics, particularly with the return of President Donald Trump, whose stance on Afghanistan could pose challenges to the regime’s stability.