(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on the Afghan authorities to reopen Afghan Cable Centre, a cable television service based in the eastern city of Jalalabad (Nangahar province). Local authorities banned the cable operator during the week of 22 September 2003 despite a national government commitment to support the development of cable television. “Your government took […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on the Afghan authorities to reopen Afghan Cable Centre, a cable television service based in the eastern city of Jalalabad (Nangahar province). Local authorities banned the cable operator during the week of 22 September 2003 despite a national government commitment to support the development of cable television.
“Your government took a clear position on the question of cable television and you must make sure it is implemented throughout the country,” RSF said in a letter to Information and Culture Minister Sayeed Makhdoom Raheen. The organisation urged him to intervene to ensure that licences issued to cable television operators by the government are respected.
Authorities in Jalalabad cited complaints about “shocking” programmes as the reason for banning Afghan Cable Centre and accusing its manager, Mohammed Humayun, of breaking the law. They were apparently alluding to programmes of Indian or western origin showing men and women singing and dancing together, which conservatives often describe as contrary to Islam and Afghan culture.
Humayun denies violating a ban on broadcasting “anti-Islamic images.” Some sources say he has been threatened. Meanwhile, the government has set up a commission to establish whether the operator broke any regulations.
Afghan Cable Centre, which currently has about 700 subscribers and carries six news and entertainment channels, was previously banned by the Jalalabad authorities in December 2002. A few weeks later, the Supreme Court banned cable television throughout Afghanistan. After the government drew up a broadcasting code and a list of authorised television stations, new licences were issued in May.
