Afghan journalists’ battle: To keep free expression alive

The message of the vengeful Taliban fighters was clear when they raided the offices of state-owned Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) in Logar province, as the region south of Kabul fell to the jihadist juggernaut in mid-August.

An Afghan journalist describes being severely beaten as the Taliban destroyed his computer with an assault rifle, then trashed the television and radio studio.

“Shut up and don’t raise your voice!” a fighter warned the journalist. “If you raise your voice, we will kill you.”

For days afterward, he had nightmares that the Taliban would break into his house and slay him – as they had slaughtered scores of journalists, civil society activists, and officials in a recent assassination campaign.

Instead, the journalist received a call from the Taliban, ordering him to “return to his duty” and broadcast again – but under Taliban direction.

“They need

“An hour-by-hour proposition”Journalists seen as spies and enemies“You are not allowed”“Fear in our hearts”