From left to right: Mojtaba Qasemi, the newly appointed head of Radio Nasim, Saifullah Rezaei, Ghazanfar Kazemi, spokesman for the Taliban governor in Daikundi, Mustafa Saleh, head of information and culture, and Saifullah Rezyee, reporter, at the reopening of the radio station on March 2, 2024.
March 2, 2024
Nili, Daikundi Province - Nasim Private Radio in Daikundi province, which was shut down by the intelligence department five months ago, has now been granted permission to resume operations and has officially reopened. However, despite this positive development, the head of the radio station is still detained.The Afghanistan Journalists Center welcomes the reopening of Nasim Radio and urges the Taliban to immediately and unconditionally release the unjustly imprisoned head of the radio station.
Najiba Wahedi, the lawyer representing the owner of Nasim Radio, has confirmed that the radio station has resumed broadcasting as of 12:30 PM today. A committee comprised of local authorities, including the head of information and culture, a representative from the provincial government, and an intelligence representative, oversaw the reopening. Wahedi stated, "After appointing a new head for the radio and pledging to adhere to the media policy of the Islamic Emirate, Nasim Radio was granted permission to operate once more."
On September 27, 2023, members of the Daikundi Intelligence Department raided Nasim Radio's office in Nili city, confiscating equipment and detaining the head of the radio and two journalists. Although the journalists were released later that day, the head of the radio station faced charges. Despite legal efforts made by the radio owner's team to have the station reopened, it remained shut down until the recent developments.
Mustafa Saleh, the head of information and culture in Daikundi, has confirmed that the radio station's door was unsealed and operations have resumed following directives from the Ministry of Information and Culture. Saleh emphasized that the new head of the radio station has pledged to adhere the media policy of the Taliban. He also noted that the former head of the radio station is currently serving a prison sentence issued by the court, and his release is not within the department's authority.
AFJC commends the reopening of Nasim Radio and urges local authorities to uphold media freedom in accordance with the Afghanistan Media Law, recognized by the Taliban. AFJC also calls for the immediate release of Sultan Ali Jawadi, the imprisoned former head of the radio. Article 4 of the Afghanistan Media Law prohibits any interference with the freedom of news and information media activities.