Taliban forces in Nangarhar Province have attacked the Hamisha Bahar Radio and Television building and ordered the journalism training course cease due to the presence of female students.
In a statement, the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AfJC) say Taliban forces threatened both male and female trainee journalists and ordered them to leave as soon as possible.
Atal Khan Stanekzai, Hamisha Bahar’s manager says that the incident happened around 2.30pm on Monday just as the course commenced.
There are 16 trainees out of which six are girls.
According to Mr. Stanekzai, this is the second time in the past month that the employees of the media have been threatened by Taliban forces.
He added that a month ago representatives of the local administration protested the Taliban.
AfJC has condemned the Taliban’s actions and the suspension of the training course as an act against the country’s mass media law, further restricting free media.
According to AfJC, the Public Media law allows the media to operate in a free and professional manner. The Taliban authorities should not limit their work or threaten them but rather support them.
The Department of Information and Culture of the Taliban has announced a plan to deal with the issues of the media and journalists at the beginning of the solar year.
