New Local Radio Station Launches in Ghazni Amid Ongoing Media Restrictions
Amid continuing restrictions on media activities in Afghanistan, the local radio station ‘Sepideh-Dagh’ in the Andar district of Ghazni province has officially begun broadcasting. This comes at a time of increasing pressure on journalists.
Under Taliban administration, Bakhtar News Agency reported on Saturday, August 7, that after several months of trial broadcasts, Sepideh-Dagh radio has now entered its official operational phase. According to the agency, the radio station will formally broadcast its programs in Andar from now on.
The launch of this radio station comes amid intensified restrictions on media following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, during which many local and national media outlets have suspended their operations.
Previously, the Afghanistan Journalists Center reported the closure of three local radio stations in Kandahar province by the Taliban administration and condemned the action. The organization warned that the continuation of such policies would further limit citizens’ access to independent information.
Furthermore, Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan human rights, stated on World Press Freedom Day that independent reporting faces serious challenges in the country and that journalists operate in a hostile and restrictive environment.
Ghazni province is located in southeastern Afghanistan, and Andar is one of its most populous districts – a place where access to independent media is of particular importance to residents.
