Afghan Journalist: Taliban Banning Women from Going Outside

A female Afghan journalist denounced Thursday that, despite assurances to the international community that they would allow women to work, Taliban jihadists are banning women from leaving their homes in Kabul and personally banned her from doing her job.

Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) anchor Shabnam Khan Dawran denounced the jihadist regime, in power since its takeover of Kabul on Sunday, for denying her access to the RTA headquarters on the grounds that she is a woman.

“I wanted to return to work, but unfortunately they did not allow me to work. They told me that the regime has changed and you cannot work,” said Dawran said, according to Afghan cable news network Tolo News, where Dawran once worked.

The Taliban also appear to have taken over RTA’s television broadcast, replacing its regular programming with radical Islamist propaganda. An RTA journalist identified as “Khadija” confirmed the move to Tolo.

“There has been a change in the programs, they broadcast their desired programs, there are no female presenters and female journalists,” Khadija reportedly said. The journalist also added that the Taliban also banned Khadija from entering the offices and that the two were some of several reporters and other journalists prevented from entering the RTA headquarters.

Dawran appears to have responded to the ban by going on a tour of Indian media, contacting multiple Indian news networks via phone to denounce the Taliban for banning her from her job. In an interview with India’s Times Now, she stated that the crackdown was not limited to female journalists, but women in general.

The Taliban, she said “are imposing their strict rules in Afghanistan. Women are not allowed to do outdoor activities.”

Reports from Kabul indicate that the streets are largely devoid of women, though it remains unclear if women are staying home out of fear, actively being trapping in their homes, or a mixture of both. Taliban jihadis have vandalized the many images of women’s faces throughout the capital in advertisements and billboards, which women have taken as a clear threat to their wellbeing.

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The German media organization Deutsche Welle denounced the Taliban for home invasions against at least three of its journalists in Afghanistan and the murder of a relative of another.

“The Taliban have raided the homes of at least three DW journalists, Nematullah Hemat of the private television station Ghargasht TV is believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban,” the outlet reported “and Toofan Omar, the head of the private radio station Paktia Ghag Radio, was, according to government officials, targeted and shot dead by Taliban fighters.”

Taliban jihadists have also harassed CNN journalist Clarissa Ward, reporting from Kabul. She has managed to continue conducting journalism at press time, asserting Taliban leaders have granted CNN special permissions, but expressed concerns that these may soon be revoked.

More at: https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2021/08/19/women-journalist-taliban-banning-women-from-going-outside/