Kabul, April 24, 2013
President Hamid Karzai has agreed with a call from the country’s conservative Ulama council for a crackdown on television stations, calling some of their programs “immoral and un-Islamic”, Office of Administrative Affairs and Council of Ministers Secretariat said in a press release.
On Tuesday Karzai issued a decree setting out the crackdown submitted by Ulama council in a meeting in presidential palace last Friday.
“The Ministry of Information and Culture must prevent (television channels) from broadcasting programs which are vulgar, obscene and un-Islamic and are counter to social morality,” Karzai said in a statement issued Office of Administrative Affairs and Council of Ministers Secretariat.
The council which is formed from the influential group of scholars and religious leaders demanded the government take action against some television broadcasters, accusing them of promoting prostitution.
Last year the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture asked the female TV presenters to avoid heavy makeup and appear bare head and should obey “Islamic ethical codes and national culture”.
The ministry stated, “Female presenters are advised to seriously observe wearing simple dress in accordance with Islamic and national culture as it adds to their sobriety and personality.”
Two year ago, media complaints and violations observation commission warned the private TV stations of facing legal actions unless they stop broadcasting illegal programs.
According to the commission headed by the Afghan Minister of Information and Culture, Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, “broadcasting naked or half naked scenes are against the Sharia law; they violate the Afghan publics’ traditions, and can mislead the people from the normal life.”
In the last 12 years numerous media organizations, TVs in particular have shown remarkable improvements in Afghanistan. These organizations have provided job opportunities to a great number of women.
Right now a total of 44 privately owned TV stations are operative in Kabul and other provinces of Afghanistan.
The press release also stated that the matter was being observed following the complaints from the public.
The Afghan Media Law that was passed by the Afghan parliament in 2007 forbids any type of censorship before and after broadcast. However, it is noted in the law that publishing any article or program that is offensive to Islamic beliefs is forbidden.