The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has reported a 24 percent rise in violations against journalists and media outlets in the past year. The report, covering March 2024 to March 2025, documented 172 cases of media suppression by the Taliban.
According to the AFJC’s annual report released on Sunday, the Taliban shut down 22 media outlets and detained 50 journalists over the past year. The report described an intensified crackdown on press freedom, with increasing restrictions on media organisations and reporters.
The AFJC recorded 122 cases of threats, 22 media closures, and the detention of 50 journalists. It stated that 15 of the closed media outlets remain shut, while 10 of the detained journalists are still in custody.
Marking National Journalists’ Day, the report highlighted divisions within the Taliban regarding media policies. Some officials in the Ministry of Information and Culture follow media laws from the previous government, while conservative figures push for stricter control over the press.
The AFJC also pointed to the enforcement of the Taliban’s Promotion of Virtue law, which grants broad authority to morality enforcers overseeing media operations. These enforcers, sometimes working with Taliban intelligence, have taken direct action against journalists and media outlets.
The report criticised the sidelining of the Media Complaints and Rights Violations Commission. It also noted five new restrictions on media, including bans on airing live political programs, critical content, and broadcasting images of living animals. Journalists must now get Taliban approval for guests and use the terms “martyr” and “martyrdom” in reports.
Journalists who fail to comply face threats, imprisonment, or the closure of their media organisations. Despite these restrictions, the AFJC noted that no targeted attacks on media workers were recorded in the past year.
