The Russian Ministry of Justice has classified Deutsche Welle as a “foreign agent”. The German foreign broadcaster is now on a list of media organizations that are so called in Russia and must provide all their publications with a legally required label. In early March, the state media regulator Roskomnadzor blocked Deutsche Welle’s website in Russia for allegations of spreading false news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Welle also has new problems in the Middle East, where the Taliban are taking action against the distribution of foreign media content. Afghan programs are no longer allowed to use Deutsche Welle content for their TV programs. The Taliban justified the step as follows: Because foreign media broadcast from abroad, they have no access to control their content – such as the reporters’ clothes. They also occasionally broadcast content that contradicts religious values and Afghan culture.
The Taliban cracked down on the media because the soap operas were broadcast from abroad
Other foreign media are also affected, the British BBC and the US foreign broadcaster Voice of America (VOA). “The increasing restrictions on freedom of the press and freedom of expression in Afghanistan are very worrying,” said DW Director General Peter Limbourg. “The fact that the Taliban are now criminalizing the distribution of DW programs by our media partners hinders positive developments in Afghanistan.” Free media are essential for this and everything will be done to continue to provide the people of Afghanistan with independent information via the internet and social media, Limbourg explained.
Deutsche Welle has had a political talk show so far in the Dari and Pashto languages featured on one Afghan news channel and a science magazine on another. Deutsche Welle can continue to distribute its content in Afghanistan via its own channels: via shortwave radio, its own website and social media.
The Taliban have cracked down on Afghan media since taking power, including for broadcasting soap operas from abroad. Many Afghan journalists fled, and numerous media outlets were closed due to economic problems. Journalists who are still in Afghanistan no longer feel able to report openly and fear reprisals. The Afghan Journalists’ Center said on Monday that a local radio station in Kandahar was raided and at least three employees were arrested.