Taliban bans Afghan woman journalist Shabnam Dawran from working
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Kabul: In a video that has gone viral now, Afghan journalist Shabnam Dawran said she was barred from working at her TV station after the Taliban took control of the country.
Dawran who was wearing a hijab and showing her office card said "our lives are under threat" in the clip on social media and pleaded for help.
This news comes at a time when the Taliban in its first conference after taking control over Kabul had claimed that women will have rights, including education and work, and that the media will be independent and free.
But Dawran, who has worked as a journalist for six years in Afghanistan for state-owned broadcaster RTA, said she was barred from entering her office this week while male colleagues were allowed in.
"I didn't give up after the change of system and went to attend my office, but unluckily I was not allowed despite showing my office card," she said in the video.
"The male employees, those with office cards were allowed to enter the office but I was told that I couldn't continue my duty because the system has been changed."
In the video, Dawran can be seen pleading to the viewers saying: "Those who are listening to me, if the world hears me, then please help us as our lives are under threat."
Among those to share, the footage was Miraqa Popal, an editor at Tolo News, a 24-hour channel in Afghanistan.
"Taliban didn't allow my ex-colleague here in @TOLOnews and famous anchor of the State-owned @rtapashto Shabnam Dawran to start her work today," Popal wrote in a tweet on Wednesday that was shared thousands of times.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Popal posted a picture of a woman news presenter on Tolo, with the caption: "We resumed our broadcast with female anchors today."
On Thursday, TOLO News repoeted that, Khadija, another RTA journalist, was also banned by the Taliban from working."I went to the office but I was not allowed in. Later other colleagues were banned, too. We talked with our new director who has been appointed by the Taliban," Khadija was quoted saying.
Khadija said that the Taliban told them that a decision will be made soon about their work, the report further quotes.
"There has been a change in the programs, they broadcast their desired programs, there are no female presenters and female journalists," said Khadija.
The Taliban so far has not commented.