In Afghanistan, freedom of media, journalists lost after Taliban takeover: Report

Ever since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, the freedom of women, media, and journalists has been completely snatched away. The Home of Freedom of Speech expressed serious concerns about the situation of the media, Afghan journalists, freedom of speech, and freedom of the media after the Taliban takeover, reported ANI, citing Khaama Press. 

The report states that under the Taliban rule, journalists in Afghanistan are not safe and have lost their freedom of speech and the situation is continuously worsening. The hardline Islamist group has systematically censored the media of the nation.

Freedom of media, journalists in Afghanistan lost after Taliban takeover: Report

"The Afghan media and journalists have been pressurized by the intelligence of the IEA unprecedentedly, and they have gone to turn the media into their propaganda platforms. The intelligence has succeeded in doing so to a certain extent because they are using different methods such as threats, force, and pressure," reported Khaama Press. 

The militants from the terror outfit in Afghanistan have gone to the newsrooms of the media and asked the journalists to cover stories in their favor, claiming the home of freedom of speech. Due to threats and pressure imposed by the Taliban, several prominent journalists have resigned from their jobs as they don't want to work for the terrorist group, the statement said.

Notably, the Home of Freedom of Speech has asked the Taliban government to stop controlling the media and putting pressure on independent journalists and has also asked international media advocates to intervene in the matter to protect the journalists. 

The hardline Islamist group breached the doors of Kabul and gained control of the country on August 15 last year, after the extraordinary fall of the US-backed Ashraf Ghani government. Since then, war-torn Afghanistan has been witnessing an extreme crisis of finance, resources, and basic necessities. The country is on the edge of being pushed into famine as the humanitarian crisis inside the country continues to increase. Meanwhile, internal communities have extended assistance, but it has not fully alleviated the crisis as half of the country is still starving. 

(With Inputs from ANI)