Local sources said that on World Press Freedom Day, the Taliban’s Interior Ministry announced a meeting with journalists but omitted the word “freedom” from the official name, referring to it instead as “World Press Day.”
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Interior Ministry, also released images from the meeting in which no female journalists were visible among the participants.
Qani shared the statement and images from the meeting with journalists on Sunday, May 2, on his X account.
During the same meeting, however, the Interior Ministry spokesperson described the media as “the awakened mind of society and the voice of civilised nations.”
Abdul Mateen Qani emphasised the key role of journalists in raising public awareness but noted that improving professional capacity and the development of journalism should be strengthened “in light of Islamic values”, a principle the Taliban consistently emphasise across all sectors.
The Taliban’s exclusion of women from the meeting and the removal of the word “freedom” from its official statement once again reflect the group’s restrictive approach to press freedom and women’s participation in public life and media.
Over the past nearly five years, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on the media and journalistic activity. The group has suppressed independent media outlets in Afghanistan and required them to publish content only after approval.
Previously, Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur, said that at least four journalists and media workers remain in Taliban detention.
Reporters Without Borders has also ranked Afghanistan 175th out of 180 countries in its 2026 Press Freedom Index.
