Tamadon TV Resumes Broadcasts, Says “Era of Silence” Over Taliban Pressure Is Over
DID Press: Afghanistan’s private Tamadon TV has announced that it is resuming its operations, with a greater focus on online broadcasting, following what the station described as pressure and the use of force by Taliban authorities. The announcement came after Taliban Justice Ministry forces entered the Khatam al-Nabieen Islamic Seminary in Kabul and reportedly detained a number of teachers and students.
In a statement, Tamadon TV said it had been technically and operationally capable of continuing its satellite broadcasts but had voluntarily suspended its activities following appeals and mediation by religious scholars, community elders and other figures seeking a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
The station said it had remained silent in the hope that its dispute with the Taliban Justice Ministry could be resolved through dialogue, mutual understanding and legal channels. It now argues that continued restraint is no longer justified following the latest developments at the seminary.
Tamadon accused the Justice Ministry of abandoning the dialogue process and using force to enter the Khatam al-Nabieen Seminary, where it said teachers and students were subjected to mistreatment and some were detained. The claims have not been independently verified. A separate report quoting Tamadon’s director, Mohammad Javad Mohseni, said 12 seminary teachers were detained.
The station also said it would publish documents, correspondence, agreements and records of negotiations with the Taliban Justice Ministry, as well as details of the events that led to the current dispute, allowing the public to assess the positions of both sides.
The dispute dates back to June, when Taliban authorities moved against Tamadon TV and stopped its broadcasts. The Justice Ministry has previously claimed that the television station and the Khatam al-Nabieen institutions were linked to a political party and were operating on state land it considered unlawfully occupied. Tamadon and the institutions have rejected those allegations and said the land dispute remains before a Taliban court without a final ruling.
Tamadon concluded its latest statement by declaring that the period of silence over what it called “lawlessness, coercion and disrespect” toward scientific and religious institutions by the Taliban Justice Ministry had ended. This characterization reflects Tamadon TV’s position and has not been endorsed by Taliban authorities.