Media Workers Face Threats, Detention, Torture Under Taliban, Says UN

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced that media professionals in Afghanistan are enduring threats, detention, torture, and mistreatment due to severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban.

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.