Radio Begum, Afghanistan’s only radio station run entirely by women, will soon be back on the air. The Taliban have reversed a previous suspension that stemmed from accusations the station was collaborating with a foreign TV channel.
Launched on International Women’s Day in March 2021, Radio Begum’s operations were disrupted just five months later when the Taliban took control amidst the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces.
Begum TV, the station’s satellite counterpart, is based in France and broadcasts educational content aligned with Afghanistan’s curriculum for students in grades seven through twelve.
The Taliban have placed restrictions on education for women and girls in the country after sixth grade.
According to a statement released Saturday by the Taliban’s Information and Culture Ministry, Radio Begum had repeatedly sought permission to resume broadcasting.
The ministry stated that the suspension was lifted after the station pledged to adhere to Taliban guidelines.
Radio Begum committed to broadcasting “in accordance with the principles of journalism and the regulations of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and to avoid any violations in the future,” the statement said, without elaborating on the specifics of these principles and regulations.
The station confirmed it had received permission to resume broadcasting but did not provide further details.
The Taliban’s initial suspension followed a raid on the station’s Kabul office on February 4. During the raid, computers, hard drives, and phones were seized, and two male employees in non-managerial roles were detained, according to a statement released by the outlet at the time.
Since seizing power in the summer of 2021, the Taliban have imposed restrictions on women’s access to education, employment in many sectors, and public life. Journalists, particularly women, have faced job losses as the Taliban have tightened their control in the region.
Reporters without Borders’ 2024 press freedom index ranks Afghanistan at 178 out of 180 countries, a decline from its ranking of 152 the previous year.
While the ministry did not name the TV channel Radio Begum was accused of working with, the statement alluded to collaboration with “foreign-sanctioned media outlets.”
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