July 12, 2023
Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh Province- The management of Nehad Radio station in Northern Balkh province has announced the cessation of its broadcasting due to economic difficulties and restrictions imposed on media outlets by provincial authorities.
Sayed Mohammad Yazdanparast, the Director of Nehad Radio station, revealed that alongside financial challenges, limitations on media access to information and restrictive conditions for female employees were the primary factors leading to the discontinuation of radio operations.
Yazdanparast further lamented the consequences of the radio's closure, stating that approximately 25 individuals, including 18 men and 7 women, have lost their jobs as a result.
Established by Najib Peykan in 2007 in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, Nehad Radio station suffered substantial damage to its equipment and building earlier this year due to an unidentified fire on February 27.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center(AFJC) expressed grave concern over the station's closure, describing it as part of a worrying trend wherein free media outlets are increasingly being silenced and the country's media community is shrinking. AFJC called upon the Taliban authorities to facilitate an environment where free media can operate without fear or intimidation, emphasizing the importance of journalists being able to freely report on events of public significance.