Taliban pledge to support freedom of expression under Islamic rules
Local media quoted officials as saying that the Taliban on Monday pledged to support freedom of expression under Islamic rules. Speaking at an event organized to enhance coordination between the media and relevant institutions, Interior Minister Syed Khosti’s spokesman said the Islamic Emirate would not allow anyone to silence freedom of expression, Tolo News reported.
“The Islamic Emirate supports freedom of expression based on Islamic values and the interests of the country, and is committed to not allowing anyone to be a hindrance to the media,” he said.
According to the publication, journalists and media watchdogs called on the authorities of the Islamic Emirate to create a clear plan for freedom of speech and media policy.
“An amendment should be made to the media. Therefore, the media should run its activities based on the Islamic Emirate’s plan,” said Abdul Moyed Hashimi, head of Afghanistan’s Committee on Journalists Protection.
Meanwhile, Police Radio, which had shut operations for nearly three months, resumed broadcasting from Monday, Tolo News reported.
However, some Afghan journalists have been forced to do dangerous jobs, due to the closure of several media organizations that have rendered dozens of media persons jobless.
Cameraman Mustafa Jafri, who worked in Afghan media for almost eight years, is currently working as a salesperson.
“I was unemployed for four months. I thought I was going to have mental problems because I was at home night and day,” Jafri was quoted as saying by Tolo News.
Earlier, a journalists union said that Afghanistan has recorded more than 30 incidents of violence against journalists since the Taliban came to power.
“The National Journalists Association of Afghanistan conducted a general assessment on the situation of journalists for Afghanistan across the country and it shows that there have been more than 30 cases of violence against journalists,” the union’s chief Masroor Lufti said.
(with inputs from ANI)
Read also | Taliban supreme leader Akhundzada appears in public amid rumors of death
.