Moscow/Kabul: At least 153 media outlets have ceased operating in 20 Afghan provinces in less than a month since the country’s takeover by the Taliban (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), Afghan TOLOnews broadcaster reported on Monday, citing organizations that support free media in Afghanistan.
According to the report, the media outlets no longer active in Afghanistan include radio stations, print media and television channels. The decision was motivated by the economic problems they were experiencing and the Taliban’s restrictions. If these problems are not resolved, there will be more media outlets no longer willing to work in the country, the representatives of specialized organizations said.
“If the organizations supporting media do not pay attention to media outlets, soon we will witness the closing of the remaining outlets in the country,” Hujatullah Mujadadi, the deputy head of the Afghanistan Federation of Journalists, said as cited by TOLOnews.
Among the media outlets that stopped working was Enikass Radio and TV broadcaster, which used to cover three Afghan provinces, due to financial difficulties after a number of companies stopped paying for advertising on the channel, a representative of the radio and TV channel told Sputnik.
After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, various attacks against the journalists have been reported, raising concerns around journalist safety in the country.
