The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that the Taliban Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has suspended the licenses of 17 local media outlets in Nangarhar province. The ministry stated that the licenses of these media outlets were suspended due to non-payment of taxes. According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center, the Taliban’s Ministry of Communications and […]
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The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that the Taliban Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has suspended the licenses of 17 local media outlets in Nangarhar province.
The ministry stated that the licenses of these media outlets were suspended due to non-payment of taxes.
According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center, the Taliban’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has warned that these media outlets will not be allowed to operate until they settle their “frequency tax” dues.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center expressed concern on Monday, August 5, over the suspension of activities of these media outlets and criticized the Taliban ministry’s decision as unfair. They urged Taliban authorities to reconsider their decision.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the operations of private television station Enikas Radio and Nargis and Islah radios in Nangarhar province have been halted.
The center added that currently, 14 radios are active in this province.
The report stated that the Taliban has not yet halted the publications of these media outlets but has warned their owners that if they do not pay the obligatory taxes, their publications will be stopped.
This organization supporting media outlets mentioned that radios and local television stations in Nangarhar, as a first-class province, are obligated to pay an annual tax of 108,000 Afghanis. The center acknowledges that these media outlets owe back taxes ranging from one to ten years.
The suppression of independent media and restrictions on journalism have intensified in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, leading to concerns about press freedom and access to information.
The international community has raised alarms about the deteriorating situation of media freedom in Afghanistan and has called on the Taliban to uphold press freedoms and allow journalists to operate without fear of reprisals or censorship.
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