Radio had devoted itself partly to educational programs for girls, private school since the return of Islamists in power.
MO12345lemonde with AFP
The Taliban announced Thursday 1 er December having prohibited from issuing the Afghan Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty service, a decision denounced by this radio funded by the US Congress.
azadi, which means “freedom”, issues in Dari and Pachtoune and had partially devoted to educational programs towards Afghan girls, private school since the Taliban took power last year.
An official of the Taliban Information Ministry, Abdul Haq Hammad, said on Twitter that ADAI, formerly Radio Free Afghanistan, had been withdrawn for “non-compliance with journalistic principles and [for] its unilateral coverage “.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which is funded by the American Congress but is independent on the editorial level, confirmed this ban on issuing, stressing to seek other means in order to offer its service to Afghans.
“A life buoy”
“Azadi is a rescue buoy for tens of millions of Afghans, which makes the Taliban decision all the more tragic,” deplored the president of the radio, Jamie Fly.
Azadi had already closed his office in Afghanistan after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 following the precipitous withdrawal of the country’s American forces.
The Taliban imposed an ultra-regigrist interpretation of Islam and gradually introduced increasingly strict rules, closing for example secondary schools for girls.