Taliban bans radio broadcasts of VOA and RFE/RL in Afghanistan

New Delhi: Taliban authorities have announced a ban on FM radio broadcasts from Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) stations in Afghanistan, citing complaints they have received about programming content.

The ban was enforced on December 1, according to a directive issued by the Taliban's ministry of information and culture. Taliban spokespersons have not provided further details about the alleged complaints they have received about the U.S.-funded news programs.

Free press groups have accused the Taliban of imposing widespread censorship on media, harassing journalists and denying work rights to female media personnel.

Taliban authorities must cease their intensifying crackdown on the media in Afghanistan and reinstate the radio transmissions of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcasters Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

In its statement, RFE/RL said it would continue working outside the country and expand options to reach its audience through other platforms. VOA and RFE/REU.S government-funded news organisations.

VOA's Afghan services broadcast 12 hours daily on 15 FM and two medium waves (MW) channels, with programming split between Pashto and Dari.

In addition, the Taliban removed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) award-winning programming from Afghanistan's AM and FM radio transmission networks.

RFE/RL's Afghan service, known locally as Azadi, is a popular media outlet in Afghanistan, covering issues from public health to school lessons for girls in the Dari and Pashto languages, the outlet wrote in its statement.

VOA reported that the station's Afghan service broadcasts 12 hours daily on 15 FM and two medium wave channels, with programming split between the Pashto and Dari languages.

Since the Taliban reclaimed power in August 2021, dozens of private television channels, radio stations and print media have reportedly ceased operation because of economic hardships and Taliban restrictions.

Hundreds of Afghan media personnel also have fled the country, fearing Taliban persecution.

According to the press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF), 219 videos, audio and print shops have been closed in Afghanistan since re-establishing the Taliban. Before then, 547 media outlets operated in the country, RSF said.