Taliban's Ministry of Justice Threatens To Prosecute Critics of Their Laws

The news channel criticised the Taliban’s deliberate crackdown to jam the satellite frequency, which started on September 5, and called it a direct assault on press freedom.

The news channel in a statement called on the international community, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) member states, human rights organisations, and media advocacy groups to condemn this violation of ITU regulations and hold the Taliban accountable for their illegal actions.

Harun Najafizada, Executive Editor of Afghanistan International, stated, "The Taliban's jamming of our satellite signal is a desperate attempt to silence the voice of the Afghan people. It is a continuation of their systematic campaign to suppress independent media and deny Afghans access to vital information. The group fears a well-informed populace and seeks to maintain its grip on power through censorship, misinformation, and propaganda."

Sources informed Afghanistan International that this orbital jamming is being conducted by sending disruptive signals from a ground station within Afghanistan back to the satellite, interfering with its broadcast.

A statement from the news channel highlighted that the Taliban’s action marks the first instance of satellite jamming targeting the distribution of a TV channel in Afghanistan. “Such actions violate international regulations established by the ITU, which govern the fair and open use of communication satellites,” the statement added.

The statement also emphasised that the act of orbital jamming by the Taliban not only attacks press freedom, but also violates international standards and highlights the regime’s increasing efforts to dismantle free expression and restrict Afghan citizens' access to truthful information.

Afghanistan International has been a crucial source of reliable, unbiased news for the Afghan people, particularly in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover. The media outlet stressed that pressure has to be applied to ensure that the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and access to information are upheld in Afghanistan.

Earlier too, in May 2024, the Taliban had warned journalists and experts against working with Afghanistan International TV. It was the first time that they had told people not to cooperate with a specific outlet. A spokesman for the Taliban-controlled Ministry of Information and Culture alleged the station was committing professional violations and violating moral and legal boundaries.

Afghanistan International TV, which is headquartered in London, is accessible through satellite, cable and social media.

Also in April, the Taliban had suspended two TV stations for failing to “consider national and Islamic values.”

The organisation further reported that 850,000 of these children are suffering from acute malnutrition.

On September 11, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that one-third of Afghanistan’s population lives in food-insecure regions, with floods and drought exacerbating the situation.

He noted that WHO health workers have treated 21,000 children with acute malnutrition in 140 health centres across Afghanistan, but stressed that the assistance provided is insufficient and that the children require further aid.

In a post on social media platform X, Tedros called on the international community to immediately support WHO and its partners in delivering essential healthcare and food aid.

Earlier, on Sunday, September 8, WHO had announced that it had sent around 20 tons of medicine and medical equipment to health centres in five northern provinces of Afghanistan. The supplies included kits for treating pneumonia, measles, cholera, and surgical and dressing sets.

The pressure has led some families to prevent their female members from working in healthcare, especially when it involves travel to rural districts. The morality police has now mandated that female health workers must not only be accompanied by a male guardian (mahram) when travelling to districts, but also carry an official permit from the the Department.

Previously, only an ID card issued by the Department of Public Health was required for the movement of female healthcare workers.
Families of these healthcare workers shared their experiences with Afghanistan International, stating that when they sought permission from the morality police, they were insulted and reprimanded for allowing their female relatives to work.

One relative of a female healthcare worker in Kandahar recalled that the director of the department of vice and virtue in Kandahar spoke to him condescendingly, saying, "Why can’t you keep your wife at home? If she doesn’t have a husband, we can help you. You are a Pashtun; have some shame."

Another man, who went to the Ministry to obtain a mahram permit for his wife, was similarly humiliated, with the official stating, “In foreign organisations, men and women take off their clothes and do whatever they want. Have some decency; how can you send your wife to such places?"

A source in Kandahar’s Department of Public Health confirmed that the director of department of vice and virtue had openly opposed the employment of women in foreign health organisations during a public gathering.
This situation has resulted in many families restricting their female members from working in rural districts, which has, in turn, severely limited healthcare services for women in these areas, posing a serious threat to the health of women and children.

The bill urges the United States and other nations to participate in the Vienna meetings.
Several anti-Taliban groups, including the National Resistance Front led by Ahmad Massoud, have held multiple meetings in Vienna, Austria. The most recent session in June brought together 70 opposition figures to discuss "political unity and a clear, common future for free Afghans”.

Burchett described the Vienna Process as an inclusive platform for anti-Taliban political forces. In a statement, he said, “This bill condemns the Taliban as a terrorist organisation and urges the US to engage in the Vienna Process while encouraging other nations to join as well."

While US and European representatives have maintained contact with the Taliban, they have kept their distance from the National Resistance Front and other opposition groups. However, in a recent development, Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, met with representatives of the National Resistance Front in Washington just a day prior.

The bill outlines that the Vienna meetings have the potential to create a "unified front against the Taliban and pave the way for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan”. Burchett has urged the House to forward this proposal to the US State Department and the United Nations to rally support for the Vienna process.

According to the Taliban, the President of Turkmenistan participated in the ceremony via video conference.

The Taliban’s Prime Minister, along with a delegation, travelled to Turkmenistan on Wednesday morning. In a statement, the Taliban expressed congratulations to the people of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan on the historic inauguration of the TAPI project.

During the ceremony, Mullah Hasan Akhund remarked that the launch of TAPI and the development projects in oil, gas, energy, and transport sectors reflect the goodwill and wise policies of Turkmenistan’s national leadership and officials. He emphasised that these projects will strengthen the friendship between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, instructing Taliban officials to work with "integrity, dedication, and tireless effort" to complete the projects.

According to the Taliban, President Berdimuhamedow stated during the video conference that friendly, brotherly, and good-neighbourly relations between the two countries are expanding. He highlighted the importance of these projects not only for the benefit of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan but for the entire region. He further noted that cooperation with the Afghan people in economic, political, and diplomatic fields is a key component of Turkmenistan’s policy.

The TAPI pipeline, which will transport gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India, is one of the region's largest infrastructure projects. The pipeline stretches 1,821 kilometres with an annual capacity of 33 billion cubic metres of gas. The Taliban stated that Afghanistan's annual revenue from transit fees will be $400 million.

In 2017, Afghanistan’s former President Ashraf Ghani, Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and India's former Minister of State for External Affairs, MJ Akbar, officially inaugurated the project in Mary, Turkmenistan. At that time, the Taliban had expressed support for the project, pledging to ensure its security in areas under its control.