BBC, Voice of America Condemn Taliban Barring Their On-Air Programming in Afghanistan: ‘Reconsider This Troubling and Unfortunate Decision’

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The Taliban has ordered BBC and Voice of America programming off the air in Afghanistan, the broadcasters said in statements urging the Taliban to reconsider its decision on Sunday.

BBC programming in Pashto, Persian, and Uzbek have been taken off the air in Afghanistan, the company said. Online services and radio are unaffected by the change.

BBC World Service head of languages Tarik Kafala called the move a “worrying development at a time of uncertainty and turbulence for the people of Afghanistan” and encouraged the Taliban to reverse its decision.

“More than six million Afghans consume the BBC’s independent and impartial journalism on TV every week and it is crucial they are not denied access to it in the future,” Kafala said. “We call on the Taliban to reverse their decision and allow our TV partners to return the BBC’s news bulletins to their airwaves immediately.”

According to the BBC, prior to the Taliban’s decision, it broadcast every day for half an hour in Pashto via partner stations, 15 minutes five days a week in Uzbek and for an hour five days a week in Persian.

“The BBC Persian TV channel can still be accessed — but only by the 20% of Afghans who have satellite TV,” the network noted.

Voice of America similarly called on the Taliban to reconsider its decision.

“We ask the Taliban to reconsider this troubling and unfortunate decision,” acting VOA Director Yolanda Lόpez said in a statement. “The content restrictions that the Taliban are attempting to impose are antithetical to freedom of expression that the people of Afghanistan deserve.”

Lόpez added, “while we are disappointed and saddened by the Taliban’s orders to our television affiliate partners in the country, our commitment to providing factual information to the people of Afghanistan is one that the Voice of America will continue on television, radio, and the internet…as well as on social media.”

The Taliban also took off the air German company Deutsche Welle and China Global Television Network, BBC reported.