Afghanistan Shias Demand Reopening of Seminary and Tamadon TV

DID Press: Shia worshippers across several Afghan provinces have signed a petition calling for the reopening of the Khatam al-Nabiyyin Seminary and the resumption of broadcasts by Tamadon TV, following continued restrictions on the two institutions.

According to reports, the petition was signed by hundreds of worshippers after Friday prayers in mosques and religious centers in Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif, Bamyan, Kandahar, and Helmand.

The signatories emphasized the role of the seminary and the television channel in providing religious education and public information, urging the authorities to lift restrictions and allow both institutions to resume their activities.

At the same time, several Shia Friday prayer leaders highlighted the importance of safeguarding the religious and cultural rights of the Shia community, calling on the caretaker authorities to engage in dialogue with community representatives to resolve the issue.

The petition follows earlier efforts by the Shia Ulema Council of Afghanistan, which had previously expressed concern over the closure of the Khatam al-Nabiyyin Seminary, the suspension of Tamadon TV, and other restrictions imposed during the month of Muharram.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice has stated that the closures were based on legal considerations and regulations prohibiting the operation of institutions affiliated with political parties.

However, officials from the Khatam al-Nabiyyin Seminary, Tamadon TV, and the Shia Ulema Council have rejected that explanation, maintaining that the institutions are religious, educational, and cultural organizations and calling for the matter to be addressed through legal channels.