Taliban Orders Shamshad TV Off Air, Reason Unclear
Taliban intelligence officials have ordered the suspension of broadcasts by Shamshad TV, one of Afghanistan’s leading television networks, sources told Afghanistan International.
Taliban intelligence officials have ordered the suspension of broadcasts by Shamshad TV, one of Afghanistan’s leading television networks, sources told Afghanistan International.
The directive reportedly came from Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada on Friday evening. The reason for the shutdown has not yet been officially confirmed.
According to sources, Taliban intelligence officers visited Shamshad TV’s office and halted all programming indefinitely. Another source suggested the decision may have been linked to content and programmes deemed inconsistent with Taliban policies.
Shamshad TV is one of Afghanistan’s most prominent broadcasters, with a large viewership across the country. Media freedom advocates and journalists expressed concern that the move would further restrict press freedom and intensify pressure on reporters.
The Afghanistan Media Support Organisation condemned the Taliban’s decision to suspend Shamshad TV and radio broadcasts, calling it further evidence of the group’s intolerance toward independent media and freedom of expression.
The organisation noted that over the past four years, the Taliban have severely restricted Afghanistan’s media environment by imposing sweeping limitations, closing outlets, and detaining and threatening journalists.
The Taliban have previously suspended the operations of several other media networks. Earlier, the Afghanistan Journalists Centre reported that Taliban directives banning the broadcasting of images of living beings had been enforced in more than 20 provinces.
