An Afghan TV station has been shut down for allegedly offering obscene content and dealing with exiled media, a government spokesman said Thursday.
Arizo TV in Kabul is accused of working with media outside Afghanistan and paying temporary staff to dub “indecent serials and programs” that go against Islamic and Afghan principles and traditions.
Saif ur Rehman Khyber, the ministry’s spokesman, said media organizations outside Afghanistan had provided financial support for the work in question. He did not name the exiled media, but said many outlets would face stricter if not outright bans. In May, the government warned journalists not to support Afghanistan International.
“To improve society and get back on the right track, these problems needed to be seriously investigated,” Khyber said. “The media is free to conduct its activities in accordance with Islamic principles and national interests.” The Afghanistan Journalists’ Center said police and ministry personnel raided Arizo TV on Wednesday, resulting in the abuse of employees, confiscation of equipment including phones, and the arrest of seven people.
No one from Arezo TV was available for comment.
A UN report last month said 256 journalists had been arbitrarily arrested or detained and 130 had been tortured or ill-treated since the Taliban returned to power three years ago.
Afghanistan is poor in terms of press freedom, with Reporters Without Borders’ latest index ranking the country 178 out of 180. Last year, it was ranked 152.