US expresses concern over restrictions on Afghan media by Taliban

The US expressed concern over the latest series of restrictions imposed on Afghan media by the Taliban and urged the group to cease infringements, including education and human rights of Afghan people

The United States on Tuesday (local time) expressed concern over the latest series of restrictions imposed on Afghan media by the Taliban and urged the group to cease infringements, including education and human rights of Afghan people.

The US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement said that the US is committed to supporting the right of freedom of expression the world over, especially for journalists and human rights defenders, to operate freely without fear of violence against them.

On Sunday, the Taliban banned British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Voice of America (VOA) broadcast services in Afghanistan.

The ban is the latest in a series of restrictions the Islamist group has imposed on Afghan media to stifle freedom of expression since taking control of the country last August.

"The United States is committed to supporting the right of freedom of expression the world over, especially for journalists and human rights defenders, to operate freely without fear of violence against them," added Price.

"In addition to this restrictive new media policy, the Taliban continue to move Afghanistan in the wrong direction by failing to uphold commitments they have made, including their March 23 decision to prevent girls from attending secondary school. Each of these actions alone is alarming, but combined, they make clear the Taliban are not living up to the essential commitments they made to the Afghan people and the international community," he said.

The US statement further said that the United States and the international community are paying close attention to the Taliban's actions inside Afghanistan, and "it is with alarm and deep concern we learned of the Taliban's decision to stifle the Afghan people's access to independent, objective, international media sources."

Education and freedom of expression are human rights held by every person in Afghanistan, the US statement said.

"These are not Western values or concessions to the international community; they are human rights and essential to a peaceful and prosperous Afghan society, which is something the Taliban claim to desire. We urge the Taliban to cease these infringements on the rights of Afghans, and we continue to stand with the Afghan people," it added.