AFJC calls for the immediate release of the detainees and the reopening of the radio stations.
This statement was originally published on afjc.media on 6 February 2025.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) condemns the recent raid by the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) and the Ministry of Information and Culture, which led to the closure of Begum Radio and Jawanan Radio in Kabul and the arrest of two employees. AFJC calls for the immediate release of the detainees and the reopening of the radio stations.
On February 4, Begum Radio issued a statement revealing that de facto GDI officers, accompanied by personnel from the de facto Ministry of Information and Culture, stormed their office in Kabul. During the incident, they interrogated employees and confiscated computers, hard drives, documents, and personal phones belonging to female journalists, as well as detaining two male employees. Citing safety concerns, Begum Radio has opted not to provide further comments on the situation until their employees are released.
Established on March 8, 2021, coinciding with International Women’s Day, Begum Radio aims to educate girls and support Afghan women. The station has consistently refrained from any political activities.
Meanwhile, Jawanan (Youth) Radio, which shares its premises with Begum Radio in Kabul’s Wazir Akbar Khan area, stated that its office was closed solely due to its proximity to Begum Radio. The station reported that one of its sports program hosts was also arrested. Jawanan Radio has appealed to its listeners for assistance in securing the release of its cricket reporter and resuming operations. Founded in 2008, Jawanan Radio focuses on raising civic awareness and fostering dialogue among various communities.
A journalist from Jawanan Radio, who requested to remain anonymous for safety reasons, reported that a raid took place around 2:30 PM on February 4. During the incident, GDI’s officers, along with representatives of the de facto Ministry of Information and Culture, entered the shared building, separating male and female employees and confiscating their mobile phones. After approximately three hours of interrogation and inspections, the officers returned the employees’ mobile phones but retained computers, hard drives, and documents. They also detained a sports reporter and an editor. The fate of those detained is currently unknown. Following the raid, an officer instructed the staff of both stations to leave, effectively shutting down their offices.
In a press release on X (formerly Twitter), the de facto Ministry of Information and Culture claimed that Begum Radio, which was licensed by the ministry, was involved in activities that constituted “multiple violations” and was producing content for a foreign television outlet. The ministry stated that the station’s activities would remain suspended pending a “careful review” of its documentation. However, the statement did not clarify the specifics of the raid or the detention of employees.
AFJC strongly denounces the raid on the offices of Begum Radio and Jawanan Radio and the subsequent closure of these stations as a serious infringement of the fundamental rights of these media outlets and their personnel.
AFJC urges the de facto Ministry of Information and Culture and the General Directorate of Intelligence to promptly and unconditionally release the detained employees, lift the restrictions imposed on these media outlets, and allow them to resume operations in accordance with the country’s media law. The previous government’s media law, which the de facto Ministry of Information and Culture recognizes as applicable, stipulates that media organizations are free to perform their professional duties without undue restriction or intimidation from officials.
