Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has called on the Taliban to immediately release all imprisoned journalists and media workers.
His statement was issued on Saturday, 3 May, in a video message commemorating World Press Freedom Day.
Bennett underscored the vital role of free expression, stating: “Freedom of expression is essential for the realisation of all human rights.” He warned that since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghan journalists and media professionals have faced increasing repression, including arbitrary arrests, censorship, harassment, and violence.
“Journalists and media workers face strict censorship. In many cases, they are not even permitted to publish images of living beings. These restrictions are enforced through threats, arbitrary detention, and acts of violence,” he said.
The Afghan Journalists Centre reported a 58 percent increase in violations of press freedom in the past year. Since May 2024, the organisation has documented 215 incidents involving infringements on media freedom, including 175 cases of direct and indirect threats, and 40 instances of journalist detentions.
As of Friday, 2 May, the centre confirmed that ten journalists remain in Taliban custody, with seven sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven months to three years.
In his message, Bennett called on the Taliban to release all individuals detained for exercising their fundamental rights, including journalists, media workers, filmmakers, and civil society actors.
He also raised concerns about the particularly severe restrictions faced by women journalists, stating that they are disproportionately targeted solely on the basis of their gender.
Bennett emphasised the need for the Taliban to end censorship and repression against minorities, and to allow journalists, academics, and political activists to operate freely without fear of persecution.
He described Afghan journalists as “guardians of the truth” and urged the international community to extend greater support to Afghan media professionals, including those in exile.
“Without press freedom, there is no truth; without truth, there is no justice; and without justice, no peace,” he stated.
Despite repeated claims by the Taliban that they support media freedom, international organisations, including Amnesty International, have consistently raised alarm over deteriorating conditions for the press in Afghanistan.
According to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Afghanistan ranks 175th out of 180 countries, with a score of 17.88.
Recently, the Taliban enacted a law on the “promotion of virtue,” which bans the publication of images depicting living beings and has led to the suspension of both state-run and private television broadcasts in several provinces. The group has also annulled the Media Law and the Law on Access to Information, further tightening censorship and limiting journalistic freedoms across the country.
