Afghan women-run radio station shuts down by Taliban for playing music

The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan’s northeast has shut down a radio station run by women for playing music during Ramadan.

The station, named Sadai Banowan, has been operational for a decade with eight staff members, six of them females.

The director for Information and Culture in Badakhshan province, Moezuddin Ahmadi, claimed that the station violated Islamic Emirate laws and regulations by broadcasting songs and music during Ramadan.

The head of the station, Najia Sorosh, denied any violation and called the closure a “conspiracy”.

Reports indicate that local Afghan journalists who refuse to comply with the Taliban’s policies have been arrested, and some have reported abuse and torture after their release.

Many journalists in Afghanistan have lost their jobs, and media outlets have been closed due to lack of funds or staff leaving the country since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.

The Taliban-led government has prevented women from most forms of employment and education beyond the sixth grade, including university, which has been widely condemned by global key players promoting girl child education, among other human rights issues.

Human rights activists view the shutdown of the Sadai Banowan station as a deliberate attempt to muzzle the press in Afghanistan.