A number of journalists in Afghanistan say the process of reporting has become increasingly difficult. They say they live under constant fear of surveillance, arrest, and pressure by the Taliban.
According to these journalists, working with exile media outlets is considered a crime by the Taliban, and journalists themselves are treated as criminals. Despite being aware of the serious risks, they say they remain committed to amplifying people’s voices and reporting the truth.
At the same time, several media activists have warned about the situation of journalists in Afghanistan. They say reporters working inside the country face serious security threats.
Sahar (pseudonym), one of the country’s journalists, says journalism has become more difficult than ever since the Taliban returned to power, particularly in recent months.
She adds that she lives every moment in fear of being tracked down and arrested by the Taliban.
“This is the reality now. Even working for domestic media outlets comes with fear and stress,” she says. “On one hand, we may lose our jobs at any moment because of the media’s poor economic situation. On the other, there is the constant fear of arrest and surveillance by the Taliban. The exhaustion of work on one side and the fear and anxiety on the other have severely affected my mental state. Everywhere I go, I fear the Taliban may come and arrest me.”
According to her, media outlets are forced to prepare and publish reports, news, and programs in line with the Taliban’s demands.
“I don’t know whether something called press freedom still exists in Afghanistan,” Sahar says.
“Journalists have no value and live like criminals out of fear of the Taliban. The Taliban think they can silence journalists through these restrictions, but they are mistaken. Even if they arrest one, two, or more journalists, there will still be people who expose the truth. The voices will not be silenced.”
Bahram (pseudonym), another Afghan journalist who works with exile media outlets, says he begins every day with fear and anxiety.
“I work under extremely difficult and threatening conditions,” he says.
“At any moment, I could be arrested, tortured, or even killed. The reason is clear. Exile media outlets report people’s problems without censorship, and as a result, their journalists are viewed as enemies by the Taliban.”
He says that working with exile media organizations is regarded as a crime by the Taliban, and journalists are treated as criminals.
“The Taliban do not hesitate to arrest, imprison, and in some cases suppress their opponents,” he says. “I have no choice but to continue working because I need to earn a living, even if the income is very limited. The Taliban have restricted the free flow of information, and access to independent data has become nearly impossible. The recent arrests of journalists have increased my concerns. I know I am taking a major risk, but I remain committed to conveying people’s voices and reporting the truth.”
Meanwhile, exiled journalist and former head of a media watchdog organization, Sediqullah Tawhidi, says the Taliban oppose all forms of freedom.
According to him, the group seeks to create a closed and regressive society in which every aspect of people’s lives is controlled.
“For this reason, the Taliban are incompatible with and hostile toward freedom of expression,” he says. “That is why they pursue and arrest journalists and send them to their own courts. It is also why they mistreat ordinary people.”
Tawhidi refers to the recent arrest of two journalists from a private media outlet in Afghanistan and the Taliban’s siege of that outlet. He says female journalists working there were also insulted and humiliated by Taliban fighters.
“Although most media outlets inside Afghanistan are now forced, due to fear and pressure, to operate in line with Taliban interests and avoid publishing anything against Taliban policies, journalists still face disturbing incidents and severe pressure,” he says.
“Journalists working inside Afghanistan face serious security challenges. They have neither job security nor physical safety. Their mobile phones are constantly subject to Taliban inspections, and accusations of spying for the West are among the allegations frequently directed at journalists. Such accusations can have very serious consequences.”
Tawhidi warns that the continuation of this situation may force many journalists to leave the profession. In his view, the solution to the crisis lies in ending the Taliban’s repressive and authoritarian rule.
This comes as Amnesty International, reacting to the arrest of three journalists by the Taliban, said such actions are part of a broader pattern of threats and pressure against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan.
The organization stated that enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention raise serious concerns about the safety of detainees and increase the risk of mistreatment and torture.
The exile-based media support organization Nai Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan has also said that the arrest of journalists has become routine under the Taliban and that this reality must not be ignored.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, journalists in Afghanistan have consistently faced humiliation, intimidation, and arrest. Existing restrictions have further complicated their work and made the environment increasingly difficult for independent reporting.
