Several exiled journalists from Afghanistan say that gaining access to information from inside the country has become one of their biggest challenges in reporting. They add that with the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on media and social media users, the process of obtaining information for exiled media outlets has become increasingly difficult. These journalists emphasize that the lack of accurate and timely information has created serious obstacles in preparing news reports and carrying out their daily work. According to them, many sources refuse to share information due to fear of arrest or persecution by the Taliban.
Some of these journalists told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that without the presence of active exiled media outlets, many of the Taliban’s acts of repression, human rights violations, and crimes would never have been reported. Although the internet has turned the world into a “small village,” enabling contact with sources inside Afghanistan, they say that obtaining information remains extremely challenging.
Hussain Roustapour, one of the exiled journalists, says that collecting information from sources inside Afghanistan has become one of the hardest tasks since the Taliban’s takeover. He adds that the Taliban view free media as their ideological enemy and have not only imposed heavy censorship on domestic outlets but have also spread such fear among citizens that they no longer dare to cooperate with independent media.
Roustapour says: “In many cases, we have spoken with people who were directly attacked or whose families were subjected to violence, but they do not dare to share details. They only say that something happened, and when we ask for more, they remain silent.”
Arezo Ghafoori, another journalist in exile, says she struggles to obtain credible information from sources inside Afghanistan. In her view, gathering and reporting information from within the country is highly dangerous for both the journalist and the source under Taliban rule. She adds, “Reporting in exile always comes with threats and pressure from the Taliban. These threats are usually directed through families, involving intimidation or threats of arrest. Some of us have even feared returning to Afghanistan.”
Omid Pouya, another exiled journalist, says that collecting information from inside Afghanistan has become extremely difficult because local sources are under the Taliban’s suppression and pressure. Despite these challenges, he adds, independent media strive to ensure that the truth is not hidden and that the world remains informed about the situation in Afghanistan. According to him, such efforts prevent the people of Afghanistan from being forgotten by the international community.
He says, “The challenge of accessing information through the internet began when Afghanistan fell into a black hole on August 15, 2021. Many journalists were forced to flee, but transferring information from inside to outside remains extremely difficult. The international community has accepted the reality that Afghanistan is no longer under the umbrella of free truth at the global level.”
Fereshta Khorshid, another journalist collaborating with exiled media outlets, says that under current conditions, reporting for exiled journalists is no less dangerous than going to a battlefield. She emphasizes that verifying sources and collecting information from inside Afghanistan have become extremely difficult tasks. According to her, most sources refuse to provide details out of fear of arrest or harassment by the Taliban.
She adds, “Accessing information has become very hard. In some cases, we even decide not to cover certain topics. For example, for a report that requires talking to four people, we contact eight, because only one or two might respond. On the other hand, we have no field access and no protection.”
Despite the increase in the number of Afghanistan’s exiled media outlets over the past four years, access to information from inside the country remains one of the most serious and difficult challenges for journalists.
Several media support organizations state that the Taliban have not only restricted access to information but have also subjected journalists and news sources to severe pressure through threats, arrests, torture, and intimidation. This situation has effectively eliminated the space for independent media, forcing journalists into self-censorship or exile.
Mujeeb Khelwatgar, head of NAI in Exile, says that since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan has experienced the worst regression in access to information. He stresses that the “right to access information” has practically disappeared in Afghanistan, as the Taliban only shares information that aligns with their interests and official narrative.
Khelwatgar adds: “In my view, the right to access information in Afghanistan no longer exists. The Taliban only manage and share what they want with the media. Independent organizations and journalists have no access to real and vital information. We are witnessing the complete shutdown of the cycle of free information in the country.”
Hamid Pezhman, director of Radio Ava-e Hindukush in Exile, says that media outlets outside Afghanistan face severe shortages of resources and numerous challenges in producing accurate reports. He also notes that maintaining neutrality under current conditions is difficult, and journalists must choose between remaining silent and being critical.
Pezhman says: “Zabihullah Mujahid only answers questions that have been provided to him in advance and avoids challenging ones. He cooperates only with well-known media outlets affiliated with international networks and cannot be held accountable in all areas. This itself poses a major challenge for media outside Afghanistan.”
Since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan’s media environment has come under the group’s strict and systematic control. Journalists face threats, intimidation, arrests, torture, and censorship, while media outlets are permitted to publish only content that aligns with the Taliban’s ideology and policies.
According to available statistics, in the first year of Taliban rule alone, out of 543 active media outlets, at least 231 were shut down. Reporters Without Borders also announced that in the past year, 12 television networks were closed, and 181 cases of violations of media rights—including the arrest of more than 50 journalists—were recorded.
A recent study by Leipzig University in Germany found that 71 percent of journalists in Afghanistan regularly practice self-censorship, primarily to “protect the lives of colleagues and family members.” In addition, 90 percent of journalists confirmed that they have refrained from publishing certain reports to safeguard their sources.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also reported that from the Taliban’s takeover until the end of September 2024, at least 256 journalists had been arbitrarily arrested and tortured.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
خبرنگاران تبعیدی افغانستان و چالشهای بزرگ دسترسی به اطلاعات | روزنامه ۸صبح
