The Taliban have launched a campaign to confiscate “banned books” in the city of Sheberghan, the center of the northern province of Jawzjan, as part of what they say is an effort to safeguard Islamic values and prevent the spread of “misleading content.”
Baryali Ahmadi, the head of information at the Taliban’s Directorate of Information and Culture in Jawzjan, said the initiative aims to protect “Islamic values, Afghan culture, and public awareness” by removing publications deemed incompatible with the country’s traditions and religion.
Books that conflict with “the teachings of Islam and the culture of the Afghan people” will be seized from libraries across the province, Ahmadi said.
He added that the campaign would continue in the coming days to identify and collect materials considered “contrary to Islamic and cultural values.”
Broader book confiscation efforts
This latest move follows widespread reports of the Taliban confiscating books from libraries and universities across Afghanistan.
Critics say the campaign reflects the group’s broader efforts to suppress dissenting ideas and tighten control over public discourse.
In recent months, activists and educators have launched the “Against Book Burning” campaign in response to the Taliban’s restrictions. The initiative, led by author and academic Humaira Qaderi and her brother Khalid Qaderi, has gained support both within Afghanistan and among the Afghan diaspora. Participants in the campaign have staged public readings as an act of defiance.
Qaderi said the Taliban have censored thousands of books as part of their “policy of elimination and suppression.” She noted that in Herat Province alone, the group has labeled hundreds of titles as “undesirable” and banned public access to them.
The Taliban’s increasing restrictions on access to literature and education have drawn widespread criticism, with rights groups and observers warning of the long-term impact on Afghan society.
