At least 318 media outlets have closed since the fall of the Western-backed government in 33 of 34 provinces in Afghanistan, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said.
The IFJ in a report expressed concerns over the status of Afghan media community.
“The crisis has hit newspapers the hardest with just 20 out of 114 continuing to publish,” the report read. “51 TV stations, 132 radio stations and 49 online media outlets have ceased operations according to the report compiled for the IFJ.”
Based on the report, only 2,334 journalists are still employed “from a pre-Taliban high of 5069.” 72 percent of journalists who lost their jobs are women, according to the IFJ. “243 women are still employed by the media.”
“From threats to draconian reporting restrictions and from economic collapse to the withdrawal of development funding the picture is catastrophic, not just for journalists who have lost their jobs or been forced to flee but also for citizens who are being denied access to information,” IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said.
The Afghan media community called on the Islamic Emirate to help the media gain access to information.
“If the immediate steps are taken towards the situation of the media in the country, only some certain number of media organizations will be active in Afghanistan in the near future,” said Hujatullah Mujadidi, head of the Head of the Afghan Independent Journalists Association.
“We call on the international community to invest in media to protect the process of access to information in the current Afghan situation,” said Hafizullah Barakzai, head of the Afghanistan Journalists Council.
Some journalists called on the international community to address the collapse of the Afghan media community.
“If the restrictions imposed on media remain in force, the media organizations will stop operating and will collapse,” said Samiullah Pam, a journalist.
“We call on the international community to seriously consider the situation of the Afghan media. We call on the government to assist with the media in access to information,” journalist Naseem said.
This comes as the Islamic Emirate announced earlier that the Media Violation Commission and a Joint Commission of media and the government would be established soon.
Talking at a conference in Kabul, Islamic Emirate’s Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that the Mass Media Law of Afghanistan is still enforceable.
Meanwhile, dozens of Afghan media officials from across the country, especially those from radio stations, gathered in Kabul and shared their concerns over financial problems and restrictions in accessing information from Islamic Emirate officials.
The media officials said economic problems, the restrictions in accessing information, and restrictions against women reporters are the main challenges they are facing right now.
According to the local media officials, in the past four months, many radio stations have ceased operating in different provinces of the country because of the mentioned problems. “Our income is low, but our expenditures are high,” said Zahid Engar, head of Radio Sulh-e-Paygham.
The media officials also said in some provinces female reporters do not appear on duty because of the restrictions. “In Takhar province we are facing financial challenges and we also cannot have female reporters at our outlet,” said Kamila Sahar, owner of Rayhan Radio and TV station in Takhar province.
“In Farah province, reporters are not permitted to visit the security department (officials) or the provincial governor unless they have been granted permission by the information and culture department,” said Ibrahim Mohammadi, an official of a local radio station in Farah.
The media professionals and officials at the end of their gathering read out a statement listing their problems and demands and called on the Islamic Emirate to address them.
“In some provinces of the country, the authorities have imposed restrictions on the media. We urge the Islamic Emirate officials to take the necessary steps in removing the restrictions,” said Abdul Basir Haqjo, an official of Amu Radio in Badakhshan province.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate officials present at the meeting said they will address media challenges. However, they emphasized that the media should consider national and Islamic values while reporting.
“The media should reflect the voice of the people in a way that the positive gains of the government and the people should be preserved,” said Abdul Wahid, head of the strategic relations department of the Interior Ministry.
“We will do what we can to improve the situation of reporters and media,” said Jamal Nasir Farahmand, deputy me dia director for the Prime Minister’s office.
