Afghan media group resumes activities for 1st time after Taliban takeover

The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC), an independent media group, has resumed all its activities about 45 days after the Taliban took over 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 and journalists and media workers can contact us," the group said in a statement on Saturday.

The AJSC also welcomed the release of a photojournalist, Murtaza Samadi, from custody in the western Herat province, who was arrested in early September, reports Xinhua news agency.

"It is very appropriate occasion for AJSC to thank the officials of the Interior Ministry," it said.


The group's announcement came after the Taliban caretaker government's Ministry of Information and Culture on Saturday denied claims it was imposing restrictions on the media in Afghanistan, saying that all media outlets can continue their activities.

"There are small cases that happen in some areas," TOLO News quoted Mawlavi Noor Mohammad Motawakil, a member of the cultural commission of the Ministry, as saying.

"If there is any illegal action, it will be addressed. The Islamic Emirate supported the media before, and it is supporting it now. Of course, the publishing must be in an Islamic format and in accordance with Afghanistan's tradition," he said.


On Friday two journalists were reportedly detained by the Taliban forces in Parwan.

However, the journalists were released after being detained for some time - IANS