KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghanistan Journalists Center has documented 215 violations of press freedom by the Taliban in the past year, including arrests, threats and sweeping new restrictions on media activity.
According to the center’s annual report, released ahead of World Press Freedom Day, the number of violations rose 58 percent compared to the previous year. The report said 175 cases involved direct or indirect threats against journalists, while 40 involved arbitrary detentions.
The findings point to what the center called a “severely deteriorating” media environment, especially in remote provinces where journalists face increasing risks and little recourse.
The report also highlights the growing role of the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in regulating the media. The ministry, which now exercises broad oversight powers, has allegedly been involved in punishing outlets that do not comply with newly issued restrictions.
Seven new media directives were issued in the past year, bringing the total number of Taliban media orders to 23. These include bans on broadcasting images of living beings, prohibitions on working with exiled media outlets, and restrictions on airing live political or economic debates. Criticism of Taliban policies has effectively been outlawed, and media outlets are pressured to refer to deceased Taliban members as “martyrs.”
The report notes that at least nine radio and television stations were temporarily shut down over the past year—many due to the prohibition on showing human images. Twenty-five provincial and private TV channels have reportedly converted to radio formats under pressure from the authorities.
Among journalists detained over the past year, ten remain in prison, with seven receiving sentences ranging from seven months to three years. The report said these arrests not only violate freedom of expression but also pose serious threats to the safety and psychological well-being of journalists.
The report also underscores a growing economic crisis in the media sector. With international funding sharply reduced, many outlets are facing collapsing revenues, rising taxes, and mounting operational costs. As a result, dozens of media organizations have closed or reduced their output.
Women journalists are particularly affected. Many media outlets have stopped hiring women or restricted them to working remotely. In provinces like Badakhshan, the report warns, the Taliban’s virtue ministry has increased pressure on female reporters and is considering the permanent closure of at least two women-led radio stations.
In its concluding remarks, the Afghanistan Journalists Center called on the Taliban to lift the restrictions and respect basic press freedoms in line with international law. It warned that the continued repression of independent media would have lasting consequences for the country’s development, social cohesion, and access to information.
