'Radio begum' to resume broadcasts after Taliban say they're lifting suspension

Taliban's Information and Culture Ministry said the radio station has been permitted to restart after it had made “repeated requested" and that the suspension was lifted after the it made certain commitments to authorities.

The Taliban has lifted the suspension on Afghan women's radio station who had earlier suspended the radio station citing "unauthorized provision" of content to an overseas TV channel and improper usage of its license.

In a statement issued on Feb 22, Taliban's Information and Culture Ministry said the station pledged to conduct broadcasts “in accordance with the principles of journalism and the regulations of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and to avoid any violations in the future."

Radio Begum had “repeatedly requested” to restart operations and that the suspension was lifted after the station made commitments to authorities.

Launched on March 8 (International Women's Day) 2021, 'Radio Begum' was suspended soon after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan after US and NATO made a chaotic exit from the country.

The radio channel's entire content is produced by Afghan women. The station's sister satellite channel — Begum TV — operates from and runs programs that cover the Afghan school curriculum from seventh to 12th grade.

Since their takeover, the Taliban does not allow education for girls beyond 6th grade. It has also excluded women from public spaces, many kinds of work, especially its crackdown on media.

In the 2024 Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, Afghanistan ranked 178 out of 180 countries, a sharp decline from its 152nd position the previous year.

The Information Ministry initially did not name the TV channel it accused Radio Begum of collaborating with but later stated that the station had ties to “foreign sanctioned media outlets.”