Wed Feb 05 04:47:40 UTC 2025: ## Taliban Suspends Afghan Women’s Radio Station

**Kabul, Afghanistan –** The Taliban’s Information and Culture Ministry announced the suspension of Radio Begum, an Afghan women’s radio station, on Tuesday. The ministry cited “unauthorized provision” of content and programming to an unnamed overseas television channel as the reason for the suspension. This marks the second time Afghan authorities have shut down a media outlet for alleged collaboration with foreign media.

Radio Begum, launched in March 2021, is entirely run by Afghan women and broadcasts educational programming. Its sister station, Begum TV, based in France, provides educational content for Afghan students. The ministry stated that Radio Begum violated broadcasting policies and misused its license, and that a review will determine the station’s future.

The suspension has drawn immediate condemnation from rights groups, including Reporters Without Borders, who are demanding its reversal. The action comes amid a broader crackdown on women’s rights and freedom of the press in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Afghanistan’s ranking on the Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index has plummeted from 152 in 2023 to 178 out of 180 countries in 2024. The Taliban’s increasing control over the media has led to numerous job losses for journalists, particularly women.

This latest incident follows a May 2024 warning to Afghan journalists and experts to cease cooperation with Afghanistan International TV, highlighting the escalating restrictions on media freedom within the country. The identity of the foreign television channel involved in the Radio Begum suspension remains undisclosed.

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