Kabul [Afghanistan]: An Afghanistan independent media group has resumed all its activities about 45 days after the Taliban takeover. The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) said that “some activities” of the committee were stopped after the political and government change in the country. “After the political and government change in the country, some activities of the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) were stopped. AJSC has started its normal activities as before,” the AJSC said in a statement. The re-emergence of the Taliban in Afghanistan raised the concerns among many that journalists in the country would be targeted to silence dissent. Recently, two Afghan journalists were beaten in police custody after covering a protest by women in Kabul. At the first Taliban news conference on August 17 after the group took Kabul, their spokesperson, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that media will remain “free and independent,” provided they work according to “Islamic principles,” and are fair and serve “national interests.” The Human Rights Watch said that Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have imposed wide-ranging restrictions on media and free speech that are already stifling criticism and dissent. Taliban security forces have also arbitrarily detained journalists and beaten several. The head of a journalists’ advocacy group told Human Rights Watch that the Taliban have taken at least 32 journalists into custody since they took power in Kabul on August 15, the Human Rights Watch said.
