Date: 17/11/1403

Radio Begum confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Taliban intelligence personnel along with employees of the Taliban's Ministry of Information and Culture raided the media outlet's office in Kabul on Tuesday, February 5, and interrogated some of its employees. The statement said that during the search of Radio Begum's office, Taliban members confiscated the computers, hard drives, documents and mobile phones of female journalists and took two male employees of the media outlet with them. After the raid, the Taliban's Ministry of Information and Culture announced in a statement that the media outlet had been shut down due to "violations of media regulations." The Taliban have claimed that in addition to numerous media violations, Radio Begum provided programs and content to a television channel based abroad. The ministry also announced that due to "misuse of the broadcasting license", the radio station's programmes have been suspended and its activities will be suspended until "the relevant documents are carefully reviewed". The Taliban have emphasized that this decision was made based on the investigations conducted and the available evidence about the activities of this media outlet. Radio Begum, while refusing to comment on the move, emphasized in a statement: "We will not comment on this until our colleagues are released, out of concern for their safety. "However, we officially call on the authorities of the Islamic Emirate (Taliban) to release our colleagues as soon as possible." Radio Begum was launched on March 8, 2021, coinciding with International Women's Day, with the aim of raising awareness for women in Kabul. The outlet was founded by journalist Wahida Aman and received part of its expenses from the Begum Organization for Afghan Women. Over the past three years, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on the activities of media and journalists in Afghanistan, which has severely affected media freedom in the country.

The raid on Radio Begum’s offices, confiscation of journalistic materials, detention of staff, and subsequent shutdown illustrate the coordinated use of intelligence, security, and regulatory powers to suppress independent media. The targeting of a women-focused radio outlet—particularly the seizure of devices belonging to female journalists—reflects gender-specific repression alongside broader media control. Framed as enforcement of licensing and media regulations, the actions rely on vague allegations and lack transparency or due process, functioning instead as intimidation. When viewed together with the broadcast suspension, the raid forms part of a deliberate strategy to silence women-led journalism and restrict access to independent information under Taliban rule.