Several journalists in Afghanistan have expressed concerns over increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and challenges in accessing information. According to them, the Taliban even refrain from providing information to journalists operating under their control. These journalists note that the information provided to media outlets under Taliban governance is often insufficient and incomplete. Additionally, journalists and media operating in exile face significant obstacles in accessing information. They state that with the imposition of severe restrictions on media and social media users, access to information is becoming increasingly difficult for exiled media outlets.
Several journalists and media activists in Afghanistan have voiced concerns, stating that the lack of access to accurate and timely information has created serious challenges in producing news content and carrying out daily operations. According to them, most news sources refrain from sharing information due to the fear of arrest.
Asma (pseudonym), a journalist in Afghanistan, says that currently, spokespersons of government institutions under Taliban control are not allowed to speak freely with the media. She adds that even when conversations occur, the necessary information is not provided to the media.
She recounts: “I asked the spokesperson of the Taliban Kabul municipality about a hotel built in the middle of a road that was slated for demolition. He responded that yes, they would demolish the hotel. But ten minutes after the news was published, he called and demanded that I remove the story, claiming, ‘We didn’t say that,’ even though I had his recorded voice. I don’t understand whether money changed hands or there was another reason, but just ten minutes after the news was published, they contacted me.”
Asma adds that not only government institutions under Taliban control but also private offices never tell the truth and always prioritize their economic and political interests.
Journalists in Afghanistan report that in many cases, official government sources under Taliban control provide censored, biased information that serves the group’s interests. According to them, in sensitive cases such as human rights violations or security issues, these sources completely withhold data and prohibit the publication of such news or reports.
Nargis (pseudonym), a journalist, says that whenever information is sought about corruption, the distribution of aid, or issues like suicides, Taliban spokespersons refuse to respond and never allow coverage of security-related matters such as killings or similar incidents.
She explains: “At one point, vehicle thefts had increased, and people were complaining. I prepared a report, but no institution responded. Since I couldn’t rely solely on people’s verbal accounts, I had to abandon the report, even though I had worked on it for three to four days.”
Widespread censorship and severe self-censorship among journalists and news sources are among the main challenges facing Afghanistan’s media community. Media activists, fearing arrest or security threats, are forced to publish only news approved by the Taliban or even refrain from producing content altogether.
Zohra (pseudonym), a journalist, says: “It’s natural that when media activities are conducted under Taliban control, censorship is absolute. No news is published without censorship, and many media outlets are forced into self-censorship.”
She emphasizes that news sources face the same situation, as they too are fearful. Several sources who gave interviews to a television channel or YouTube channel were arrested and tortured. As a result, people have every right to resort to self-censorship to protect their lives.
A journalist in exile, who requested anonymity in the report, says: “The Taliban have destroyed freedom of expression and access to information in Afghanistan. What is published in the media under their control is engineered information that only promotes the group’s objectives. Private media in Afghanistan face an even more severe crisis in accessing information and, to continue their operations, are forced to promote and propagate Taliban values.”
This journalist adds: “The Taliban consider filming living beings un-Islamic, but they allow media outlets that work in their favor to film at limited sources. If the Taliban’s interests are not involved, no media outlet other than their mouthpieces would exist. Yet, despite all the challenges, these media outlets can still keep the light of information alive.”
The exiled journalist further notes: “As restrictions on domestic media increase, access to information becomes more difficult for media outside the country. By imposing severe censorship and curbing freedom of expression, the Taliban have even intimidated social media users operating anonymously, discouraging them from sharing information.”
The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture recently issued a directive titled “Policy on Holding Political Programs (Roundtables) in Afghanistan,” requiring media outlets to submit their political programs to the ministry for approval before publication. Additionally, analysts are only allowed to participate in roundtables and news programs if they receive a special identification card from the Taliban after being approved by the ministry.
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) recently announced that in the first six months of 2025, at least 140 cases of media and journalist rights violations were recorded in Afghanistan, indicating a roughly 56 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year. The center’s findings also show that the Taliban have accelerated their crackdown on media freedom. The center noted that most of the recorded cases over the past six months involved 120 instances of threats against media outlets or intimidation of media workers.
The center emphasized that prohibitions on images of living beings have been enforced based on the Taliban’s Law for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. According to the center, in the past six months, the ban on publishing images of living beings in media, which was officially enforced in 2024 in the provinces of Kandahar, Takhar, Badghis, Helmand, and Nangarhar, has expanded to 14 additional provinces, including Nuristan, Farah, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Nimruz, Jowzjan, Zabul, Parwan, Kunduz, Bamyan, Faryab, Daykundi, Panjshir, and Laghman.
According to a recent study by Leipzig University, 71 percent of journalists reported regularly practicing self-censorship, with the primary reason being “protecting the safety of colleagues and family members.” Additionally, 90 percent of journalists confirmed they had refrained from publishing certain reports to protect their sources.
Previously, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that between August 15, 2021, and September 30, 2024, the Taliban detained and tortured at least 256 journalists without justification.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
سانسور و سرکوب رسانهها توسط طالبان؛ روند دسترسی به اطلاعات دشوارتر شده است
