Afghanistan (MNN) — The Taliban continue suppress freedom of expression in Afghanistan. The new restrictions are worded so broadly that many journalists fear imprisonment for mere reporting. News agencies must show their stories to the Taliban before publishing them. The radical group has already arrested more than 30 journalists.
Some journalists even suffered beatings. Others went into hiding. Many media outlets began to interview only Taliban officials and avoided writing about government corruption or the mistreatment of civilians.
It is a difficult time to bring media of all kinds into the country. But Denise Godwin says International Media Ministries continues to reach Afghans with the hope of Jesus, especially through his Women of the Bible series. “Satellite is one of the channels that cannot be blocked in these parts of the world. Now, it may be illegal to own a satellite dish. There are many rooftop gardens all over the Middle East, which hide satellite dishes. The numbers are pretty incredible.
Other Media Distribution Methods
Like many other authoritarian governments, the Taliban don’t like people having access to the internet. Godwin says, “There’s an organization of Christian hackers, if you will, who try to get things back online when governments take them down. People work in different ways. There’s also hand-to-hand delivery of digital files via Bluetooth. You can stream videos to devices without connecting to the internet.
The Taliban cannot prevent the good news of Jesus from reaching Afghanistan. Godwin says, “Innovation is one of our core values, as we recognize that media is constantly evolving. Access changes. Glory to God for this continuous work.
In freer countries, Christians may take their access to the gospel and information for granted, says Godwin. “But people in different parts of the world have different restrictions. And governments have different methods of shutting things down. It is important to use all possible means to reach people.
Header photo courtesy of bluebudgie from Pixabay.
