February 16, 2023
Kabul-The Afghanistan Journalists Center(AFJC) is outraged at the raid of Tamadon TV by the security officers of the Taliban in Kabul on Thursday. AFJC calls on the authorities to stop harassing media outlets and allow them to operate freely and independently.
A group of 8 armed Taliban members raided the headquarters of the privately owned broadcaster in Kabul at 4:30 pm on Tuesday, February 14 and beat several staff members, and held them for 30 minutes, a journalist at Tamadon TV who spoke to AFJC on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal.
The journalist stated, “The Taliban members then pointed guns at the station’s staff, verbally harassed them, and transferred them to a meeting room. They searched the office, confiscated two vehicles belonging to the station, and left, without providing any explanation for their actions.”
AFJC said:” It is a flagrant violation of press freedom and an insult to the journalists. The authorities must publicly explain the reasons for the raids and allow the broadcaster to operate freely and independently and end its campaign of harassment and violence against journalists.”
Established by well-known cleric Ayatullah Mohammad Asef Mohseni in 2006 in Kabul, Tamadon TV covers political and current affairs as well as religious programming and Iranian series. In March 2022, as part of a campaign against television series from other countries, the General Department of Intelligence of the Islamic Emirate[Taliban]banned the broadcast of Iranian shows, and series via Tamadon TV and warned for violating the ban.