Taliban Continue Relentless Crackdown On Media, Says Amnesty International

According to the commission, 2405 individuals were expelled from Pakistan, while 1208 were deported from Iran.

Of those returned, 1150 people were subsequently relocated to various provinces, including Ghazni, Baghlan, Takhar, Kunduz, Balkh, Jowzjan, Logar, Paktia, and Paktika.

The Taliban further stated that these migrants collectively received 4,511000 Afghanis in humanitarian assistance.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported that approximately 145,000 Afghan migrants were deported from Pakistan throughout April. The IFRC described the condition of many returnees as dire, highlighting growing concerns over their wellbeing and resettlement.

Female journalists are particularly affected, according to a UNAMA statement released on World Press Freedom Day.

Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, emphasised the critical role of media in fostering an informed and dynamic society. “In Afghanistan, we are seeing the steady erosion of a free and independent media,” she said, underscoring that a robust media environment is vital for transparency, public trust, and good governance.

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, echoed these concerns in a statement on Saturday. He described freedom of expression as essential for upholding all human rights and urged the Taliban to release all detained journalists immediately.

UNAMA also highlighted emerging challenges posed by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). Patricia McPhillips, UNESCO’s representative in Afghanistan, warned that AI could be misused to spread misinformation, promote hate speech, and enhance censorship and surveillance of journalists and the public, posing significant risks to freedom of expression.

The announcement was made during a meeting in Ashgabat between representatives of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Health and Medical Industry and a delegation of Afghan doctors from a hospital in Herat.

Turkmen media reported that the discussions focused on deepening partnerships in the pharmaceutical industry and medical technologies. The Afghan delegation specifically requested the supply of high-quality, affordable Turkmen medicines to address healthcare needs in Afghanistan.

The Turkmen side provided insights into the operations of its pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturing companies, highlighting their capacity to meet international demand.

In a related humanitarian effort, Turkmenistan sent three female doctors to Afghanistan in May 2023 to work at the Torghundi maternity hospital in Herat, providing essential medical services to Afghan women. The initiative was documented by Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Afghanistan continues to face significant challenges in healthcare, particularly for women and children, under Taliban rule. The Taliban’s restrictions, including bans on girls and women attending schools, universities, and medical training institutions, have exacerbated the crisis.

Afghanistan currently has the highest maternal mortality rate globally, prompting repeated appeals from the Taliban for international support to bolster the country’s healthcare system.

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.

His unexpected appearance in Kabul underscores internal divisions within the Taliban leadership and a possible attempt to reassert control and unity.

According to Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban, Akhundzada urged Taliban officials to fulfil their responsibilities based strictly on “principles of Sharia”. He warned against any leniency in the application of Islamic law and claimed that Afghanistan’s political affairs are now in the hands of “righteous individuals”.

In his address, Akhundzada advised Taliban members not to fall prey to “enemy propaganda”, which he said is designed to sow discord and mistrust within the group. “Do not allow yourselves to be divided. Do not be deceived by the enemy’s tactics,” he stated.

The meeting was reportedly attended by the Taliban governor of Kabul, intelligence chief, judicial authorities, district governors, and local commanders. No official images or videos of the event have been released, and Akhundzada, who has never made a public appearance, has not been seen in any of the coverage, raising questions about the format of his speech and the duration of his stay in Kabul.

Akhundzada also emphasised that religious scholars had long been marginalised from both worship and political spheres. “For centuries, scholars were pushed to the periphery. Islamic governance, Jihad, and Sharia remained confined to books. Now, politics in Afghanistan is in the hands of scholars, the Taliban, and righteous individuals,” he asserted.

Despite the strong tone on religious enforcement, Akhundzada reportedly instructed Taliban officials to cooperate with the public and treat people with respect in various aspects of daily life.