Wakil Kohsar, an AFP photographer based in Afghanistan, has received a 2026 Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award for his photographic work on cosmetic surgery in Afghanistan, a project that explored how some women continue to pursue beauty treatments despite growing restrictions on their public lives.
Kohsar announced the award after receiving it Thursday evening in Hong Kong. His work, titled “Botox Under the Burqas,” was recognized in the category of Excellence in Photography.
The SOPA Awards, among Asia’s most prestigious journalism honors, recognize excellence in reporting, photography, visual storytelling and press freedom across the region.
The award-winning project emerged from reporting by AFP’s Kabul bureau, which remains one of the few international news operations maintaining a significant presence in Afghanistan, including female journalists in key editorial and reporting roles.
According to AFP, the story began after reporters noticed advertisements for hair-transplant clinics across Kabul. Further reporting revealed that some of the same clinics were quietly providing cosmetic procedures to women, even as Taliban restricted women’s access to public spaces and shut down beauty salons across the country.
The reporting effort faced significant challenges.
Many women who underwent procedures did not want to be identified, while doctors and clinic managers were reluctant to allow journalists to document treatments because of concerns about possible repercussions from Taliban.
“Oftentimes, the visually appealing angles and images were difficult to capture, as some patients, especially women, did not allow me to take their picture,” Kohsar said in comments released by AFP.
“Some doctors were also unwilling to have surgical procedures photographed. Clinic managers and the medical team were worried and afraid of the Taliban authorities, fearing that the report would affect their business and lead to the closure of their clinic,” he added.
The resulting photo essay offered a rare look inside a little-seen aspect of Afghan society, documenting how some women continue to seek cosmetic procedures despite the severe restrictions imposed on their daily lives.
The recognition comes as Afghanistan’s media sector continues to operate under mounting pressure.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on journalists and media outlets, including limitations on coverage of women, politics and public affairs. Media watchdogs say hundreds of outlets have closed and thousands of journalists have left the profession or fled the country.
The award also highlights the continuing role of Afghan journalists in documenting social change and everyday life under Taliban rule, often under difficult reporting conditions.
AFP received another SOPA nomination for its coverage of the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, where journalists reported from disaster zones and documented the aftermath of one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters.
